The Galapagos Islands remain well preserved as a natural environment in large part due to the National Park Rules. These rules are established by the Galapagos National Park Service, and enforced by park wardens and trained guides.
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1. No plants, animals or remains of them such as bones, pieces of wood or other natural objects should be removed or disturbed. Such actions are illegal and may cause serious harm to the island's ecological conditions.
2. Be careful not to transport any live material to the islands, or from island to island. Before landing on any of the islands, check your clothing for seeds or insects and destroy them or keep them on your vessel for disposal later on. Check your boots or shoe soles for dried mud before leaving the boat. This material will frequently contain seeds and spores of plants and animals. Inadvertent transport of these materials represents a special danger to Galapagos.
Each island has its own unique fauna and flora, and other plants and animals can quickly destroy this uniqueness. These rules apply to pets as well as other animals and plants. Do not bring them to the islands. One of the most destructive forces in Galapagos are feral organisms which have been brought to the Galapagos by man.
3. For the same reasons expressed in rule No.2 Do not take any food to the uninhabited islands. It is easy to introduce, together with food, insects or other organisms which might be dangerous to the fragile island ecosystems. Fresh fruits and vegetables are especially dangerous. The orange seed you drop may become a tree. |
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