This is not a modified picture, this is just the Galapagos Islands, where it is very normal to find things like this all together: a beautiful ship, interested visitors and the main terrestrial predator, with blue sky as background. The days pass by, it is almost the end of the year 2000, and a new millennium is about to start. And in Galapagos things look the same, time is frozen in this never-never land. Is it?
Unfortunately, this is also a fragile environment as shown by the reaction of the local fishermen protesting against the quotas that were imposed on their fishing activities by the Galapagos Special Law as you may have read about in the papers. It is true we are witnessing a confrontation between the fishermen and the government in its efforts to protect the marine reserve and its resources in a sustainable manner.
Thus the heads one can see behind the hawk in the picture are part of the solution for the Galapagos tribulations.
Our visitors fall in love with this unique place where animals are still innocent. By traveling to the islands you become one more friend of Galapagos. These are however a great many supporters of this fragile and unique environment, who all are the tools that give us hope for the future: The National Park Service, the Charles Darwin Research Station, the tour companies, the inhabitants of the archipelago, and you all who have become a Galapagos ally or who will become one.
We can face the 2001 with optimism because of you, visitors who came and who will come, those who will spread the word and the love for our enchanted islands.
