Randy Moore - Galápagos: An Encyclopedia of Geography, History, and Culture

Galpagos

An Encyclopedia of Geography, History, and Culture

Randy Moore

Copyright 2021 by ABC-CLIO, LLC

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Moore, Randy, author.

Title: Galpagos : an encyclopedia of geography, history, and culture / Randy Moore.

Description: Santa Barbara, California : ABC-CLIO, 2021. | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2020011322 (print) | LCCN 2020011323 (ebook) | ISBN 9781440864698 (hardback) | ISBN 9781440864704 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Galpagos IslandsEncyclopedias. | Natural historyGalpagos IslandsEncyclopedias.

Classification: LCC F3741.G2 M67 2021 (print) | LCC F3741.G2 (ebook) | DDC 986.6/503dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020011322

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020011323

ISBN:978-1-4408-6469-8 (print)

978-1-4408-6470-4 (ebook)

252423222112345

This book is also available as an eBook.

ABC-CLIO

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ABC-CLIO, LLC

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www.abc-clio.com

This book is printed on acid-free paper

Manufactured in the United States of America

To Victor, Maryuri, Roslyn, the Rubios, and the Icazas, who have enriched my life by teaching me so much about Ecuador

Contents

Preface

Virtually everyone has heard of the Galpagos Islands. Although most people may not know exactly where the islands are, or to what country the islands belong, theyve heard something about them. For example:

Many people have heard that the islands are linked with Charles Darwin, and may have been taught that Darwin was in Galpagos when he had a eureka moment and conceived of his great idea, evolution by natural selection.

Many scuba divers may have heard of the world-class diving in the islands, where sharks are more abundant than anywhere else on Earth.

Some people may have heard that their ancestors served in Galpagosthen known as The Rockduring World War II.

Others may have heard of the islands uniqueand often bizarreanimals that do not run or fly away when approached.

And still others may have heard that Galpagos is one of the top travel destinations in the world.

These different impressions of Galpagos reflect the islands diverse history, importance, and appeal, for there are many reasons to be curious about the legend-laden Galpagos Islands. Many of the legends are true; for example, Darwin did visit the islands, and his visit later influenced his thinking about lifes diversity. Virtually all of the islands endemic and approachable animals continue to live in Galpagos, and several islands remain much as they were when whalers and pirates began visiting them in the late 1600s. Other heretofore untold stories in this book about the islands and their pioneers are just as interesting. The islands famed reputation, both now and in decades past, appeals to virtually everyone because Galpagos is a special place. There is no place on Earth like Galpagos, and thats likely why youre reading this book.

THE SCOPE AND ORGANIZATION OF THIS BOOK

This is an encyclopedia about all things Galpagos, especially the famous islands geography, history, and culture. It is difficult for a gringo based in the United States to write such a book, for each topic is vast, in and of itself. This is why writing it took more than 15 years and more than 30 visits to the islands, during which I conducted countless interviews with scientists, residents, historians, Galpagos National Park Directorate (GNPD) authorities, Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS) employees, former prisoners in Isabelas penal colony, and government officials knowledgeable about the islands. I also examined books, reports, family scrapbooks, and scientific, cultural, and economic studies about Galpagos. I spoke with boat crewmen who were lost at sea in Galpagos, and had residents take me to otherwise off-limits places, such as Friedrich Ritters grave on Floreana. Like most people who study Galpagos, I was often surprised at what I learned; for example, how the islands were initially scorned, how the earliest business ventures in Galpagos failed, and how the islands later became one of the top travel sites in the world. Its all part of the islands fascinating story.

Galpagos: An Encyclopedia of Geography, History, and Culture is organized into several major sections:

The first section includes 12 essays about topics ranging from the islands history and tourism to their threats, mysteries, and role in World War II.

The second section includes more than 100 entries arranged in an A-to-Z format dealing with topics such as maps, wildlife, pioneers, towns, agriculture, tragedies, and the islands popular sites.

The third section includes primary documents written by famous visitors to Galpagosfor example, writer Herman Melville and biologist Charles Darwinto give readers a sense of the islands historical contexts in literature and science.

Two appendices describe the major islands and Darwins experiences aboard HMS Beagle before and after Galpagos.

A glossary defines important terms, and a bibliography provides sources for readers wanting to know more about Galpagos.

Finally, a detailed index will help readers find particular topics and appreciate the many links among the subjects discussed in this book.

I hope you enjoy learning about Galpagos.

Randy Moore
July 4, 2020

Acknowledgments

It is humbling to write an encyclopedia about Galpagos, for the archipelago is vast, diverse, challenging, and distant, especially for a gringo based in the United States. This is why I could not have produced this book without much help from my friends and others in Galpagos. I am indebted to the many captains and crewmen of boats such as the Floreana and the Tip Top fleet who carried me safely through the islands, as I am to Rafael Rubio, Victor Mendia, and other naturalist guides who taught me about the islands plants, animals, and history. These guides opened their homes to me, took me to places that they seldom take others, and enriched my experiences in the islands.

For more than a decade I worked with my great and gracious colleague Sehoya Cotner in Galpagos; our discussions and experiences there were important for understanding what I learned about the islands. Renowned Galpagos historian Roslyn Cameronmy coauthor of Galpagos Revealed: Finding the Places That Most People Miss (2019)provided much information and raised many questions that produced fruitful, rewarding work. I hope that this book honors what Sehoya, Ros, and others taught me.

Abrazos to Sarah Darling for our discussions; Heinke Jger for helping me understand the challenges associated with invasive species in the islands; Erika Wittmer for showing me Floreana Island; and the Rubio and Icaza families for their rooms, food, and friendship. I thank dive masters such as Jos Bravo for showing me the underwater life in the islands; Thalia Grant and Greg Estes for our discussion of Darwin in Galpagos; and Javier, Jennifer Sprague, Bette Englund, Frank Sulloway, Jane Super, Molly Adams, and Geri Grosinger for their help. I especially thank Jos and Manuel, who spent an afternoon talking with me in 2007 about their experiences as prisoners at Isabelas Wall of Tears. I am also grateful to the many helpful people in Galpagos who answered my questions and gave me directions, but whom I can only thank collectively and anonymously.