Left on an Island in 1959, Three Goats Completely Ruined the Natural Ecosystem
In 1959, one male and two female goats were introduced to Pinta Island in the Galápagos. They multiplied rapidly, devouring the island’s vegetation all the way to the summit. It wasn’t until 1999 that Pinta was finally cleared of goats.
Let’s take a closer look.
Fishermen left goats on the island to meet their need for meat.
Pinta is the northernmost of the Galápagos’ larger islands, lying well apart from the rest of the archipelago. Today, no one lives on the island, which covers about 60 square kilometers.
In 1959, just one male goat and two females were introduced to the island. By August 1968, the goat population was estimated at between 3,000 and 5,000.
Within 15 years, the goat population was estimated to have grown to between 12,000 and 20,000, devastating the forests all the way to the summit.
Goats stripped vegetation from vast areas, including the distinctive montane forest atop the island. Many plant species also dwindled on the lower slopes, and some disappeared altogether.
Still, because the damage was recent, the soil remained intact. That kept alive the hope that the vegetation could recover.
Rangers seeking to eradicate goats stumbled upon a tortoise believed to be extinct.
Until the mid-19th century, Pinta was home to thousands of giant tortoises found nowhere else. In the 1800s, whalers took many of them aboard to eat during their long voyages. By the early 20th century, the species had most likely become ecologically extinct.
The only tortoise spotted on the island in 1971 was placed under protection the following year. Since then, no other living tortoise has been found on Pinta, home to “Lonesome George,” perhaps the world’s most famous tortoise.
The goats were completely eradicated in 1999, and the island’s vegetation quickly recovered.
The goat population was drastically reduced in the 1970s. While the island was being used as a training ground for the Isabela Project, all the goats were removed.
Grazing was brought to an end before any native plant species disappeared. Today, Pinta is one of the islands with virtually no invasive species. In 2010, 39 sterilized hybrid giant tortoises were released there.
Keşfet ile ziyaret ettiğin tüm kategorileri tek akışta gör!
Test
Gündem
Magazin
Video
Send Comment