Following in Darwin's footsteps: scientists recreate historic expedition of the 1830s May 29, 2024
- Ana Cunha-Busch
- May 28, 2024
- 3 min read
By AFP - Agence France Presse
Following in Darwin's footsteps: scientists recreate historic expedition of the 1830s
Just as Charles Darwin did in 1831, last year a group of scientists and environmentalists set sail from the English port of Plymouth bound for the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador.
But what they found when they arrived last month was very different from what the naturalist Darwin saw when he visited the archipelago in 1835, on a trip that was fundamental to the development of his world-changing theory of natural selection.
Today, the Galapagos is under protection, part of a marine reserve, and classified as a World Heritage Site. However, the area faces more threats than ever, from pollution and illegal fishing to climate change.
Botanist Sarah Darwin was there to observe the challenges, with a well-thumbed copy of her great-great-grandfather's “On the Origin of Species” in hand.
“I think probably the main difference is that there are now people working to protect the islands,” the 60-year-old told AFP on board the “Oosterschelde”, a refurbished three-masted schooner built over 100 years ago.
The ship has been on a scientific and awareness-raising expedition since August last year, stopping so far in the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Brazil, and Chile, among other places.
- Darwin's “heirs
In colonial times, the islands - located in one of the most biodiverse regions in the world - served as a stopping point for pirates who fished and ate the giant tortoises that call them home.
During the Second World War, the archipelago housed a US military base.
“I think if (Darwin) could go back now and see the efforts that everyone is making, both locally and globally, to protect these extraordinary islands and this biodiversity - I think he would be very, very excited and impressed,” the naturalist's descendant told AFP.
Sarah Darwin visited the Galapagos for the first time in 1995, where she illustrated a guide to endemic plants. She then devoted herself to studying native tomatoes.
She also mentors young people as part of a project to create a group of 200 Darwin “heirs” to raise the alarm about environmental and climate threats to the planet.
Calling at various ports during the voyage from Plymouth to the Galapagos, the Oosterschelde welcomed new groups of young scientists and activists at each stop and left others.
One of them, Indian-born Laya Pothunuri, who joined the mission from Singapore, told AFP that the Galapagos “has a very important place in scientific terms”.
She was there, she said, to improve irrigation systems in the islands' coffee-growing regions.
“I plan to do this using recycled plastic, which is also a big problem here,” she said, noting that plastic waste ends up being consumed by wildlife.
- Plastic hazard -
In the Galapagos, the expedition members worked with researchers from the Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), the Charles Darwin Foundation, and the NGO Conservation International to tackle invasive species and protect endemic ones.
Last year, a study by the Charles Darwin Foundation found that giant tortoises in the region were ingesting harmful materials due to human pollution.
The samples revealed that almost 90% of the waste consumed was plastic, 8% was fabric and the rest was metal, paper, cardboard, building materials, and glass.
From the Galapagos, the Oosterschelde set sail again on Sunday to continue its world tour, with stops planned in Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa.
By Carlos Espinosa with Paola Lopez in Quito
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