Protected waters around the Galapagos, the archipelago that inspired Charles Darwin, have now expanded to 198,000 square kilometers to protect the migration routes of rare species.
The expanded protected zone will give species a safer habitatImage: Presidencia Ecuador/dpa/picture alliance
The new reserve, named "Hermandad" (Brotherhood), expands the protected waters by 60,000 square kilometers (23,166 square miles). It builds upon the existing Galapagos Marine Reserve, which already protects about 133,000 square kilometers of water from extractive activities.
"There are places that shape human history, and today we have the honor of being in one of those places," Lasso said while on a ship in the bay of Puerto Ayora, a town in the Galapagos.
"These islands teach us something about ourselves," Lasso said. "What if we didn't set ourselves up as masters over this Earth, but as its protectors?"
Lasso, flanked by former US President Bill Clinton, left, and Colombian President Ivan Duque, holds a decree that expands the Galapagos Maritime ReserveImage: Dolores Ochoa/AP Photo/picture alliance
Lasso first announced the expansion in November in Glasgow, on the occasion of the COP26 climate summit. The project was in exchange for a reduction in Ecuador's international debt.
"The seas are great regulators of the global climate," Lasso said. "Taking care of them is not naive idealism," he added. "It is a vital necessity."
Why is the expansion important?
The new marine area will eventually link Ecuador's Galapagos Islands with Panama's Coiba islands, Colombia's Malpelo and Costa Rica's Coco.
Advocates say the passage can protect the migration routes of rare species.
Matt Rand, who leads marine habitat conservation efforts for The Pew Charitable Trusts, said: "Safeguarding the pathway between the linked biodiversity hot spots of the Galapagos and Costa Rica's Cocos Island helps to preserve this spectacular array of marine life.
"Ecuador's new protections recognize the critical importance of connectivity in effectively protecting highly migratory species such as sea turtles, sharks and whales," Rand said.
A UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site
Since 1978, the archipelago has been a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site known for its unique flora and fauna.
It's thought to be home to more than 2,900 marine species, including rare ones such as marine iguanas and Galapagos finches.
In 1835, English naturalist Charles Darwin spent time on the islands, which helped inspire his theory of evolution.
The reserve was created in 1998. The expansion creates 198,000 square kilometers of protected marine area.
Charles Darwin's legacy
February 24 marks the 150th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin's "The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex." His influential work lives on today in advances in the field of evolutionary biology.
Image: Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto/picture alliance
Trip of a lifetime
At the age of 22, Charles Darwin sailed around the world on the HMS Beagle, happening upon new landscapes, cultures and, of course, animals. During his travels, he developed his scientific theory of evolution. Fossils in particular raised questions for the young Darwin. As he examined the bones of large, extinct mammals and fossilized trees, he thought about deep time.
Image: Mary Evans/picture-alliance
A diligent note-taker
Darwin kept extensive journals during his travels, as well as 1,750 pages of notes — like these drawings of finches from the Galapagos Islands with beaks adapted to different diets. He collected bones and carcasses to bring back. Upon returning to London, he published his diaries as the "Journal of Researches Into the Geology and Natural History of the Various Countries Visited by H.M.S. Beagle."
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Groundbreaking text
After figuring out that individuals in a population who were best suited to their surroundings were more likely to live and therefore, pass on their genes — i.e. his theory of natural selection — Darwin eventually published his seminal work "On the Origin of Species" in 1859. He was very concerned about how the book and his ideas would be received in Victorian England.
Image: Natural History Museum/dpa/picture-alliance
Tough crowd for Darwin's theories
The church dismissed Darwin's theories. However, Darwin's friends and colleagues in the scientific community largely accepted the concept of evolution, though natural selection received less support at the time. Darwin would go on to tweak and update "On the Origins of Species" six times, putting out respective editions.
Image: ANDY RAIN/Epa/dpa/picture-alliance
Natural selection in humans
Darwin later wrote "The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex" in 1871, though by that time, his ideas were more widely accepted. This book looked into natural selection among humans. He wrote many other works during his life, often focusing on specific species or small sections of the animal or plant kingdoms.
Image: akg-images/picture alliance
A spot of scientific pilgrimage
Today, many people venture to the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador to observe the natural beauty and the diverse array of wildlife — the place where Darwin's ideas first began to take root. The Charles Darwin Research Station still carries out scientific research, and works to conserve the islands' rich biodiversity.
Image: Karol Kozlowski/imageBROKER/picture alliance
