The Galapagos Islands, a part of Ecuador, located in the Pacific Ocean around 1,000 km away from the South American continent, offer a rich history and diverse ecology. The islands were named after the giant tortoises found there, called ‘Galapagos’ in old Spanish. These islands gained considerable recognition as a World Heritage Site in 1978, making it UNESCO’s first protected site of its kind. Notably, the British naturalist Charles Darwin made significant observations in 1835 that contributed to forming his theory of evolution. He described the islands as a “world in itself”.
Protection Status and Wildlife on the Galapagos Islands
Ecuador declared part of the Galapagos as a wildlife sanctuary in 1935 which was later established as the Galapagos National Park in 1959. The protection status has facilitated the preservation of aquatic species, such as manta rays and sharks, which have been endangered due to commercial fishing. The islands also provide habitat for a wide array of aquatic wildlife, including marine iguanas and waved albatrosses. With the Galapagos being an ecological haven, some of its inhabitants like the Galapagos penguin, Galapagos fur seal, and Galapagos sea lion are listed as critically endangered.
Cold Ocean Currents Shielding the Galapagos Islands
A recent study provided evidence that cold ocean currents have sheltered the Galapagos Islands from the global warming effects. The cold, eastward equatorial ocean current protects the islands from the otherwise warming Pacific Ocean. This undercurrent in the Pacific Ocean is confined to the equator due to the force of the planet’s rotation. Consequently, an underwater swift circulation of cold, nutrient-rich water flows from west to east. As a result, corals within these waters off the west coast of Ecuador have been unaffected by global warming.
The Nature of Ocean Currents
Ocean currents are predictable, continuous, directional movements of seawater brought about by various forces. They resemble river flows within oceans. Depending on their temperature, they can be categorized as cold currents or warm currents. Cold currents transport cold water into warm water areas and are usually observed on the west coast of continents in low and middle latitudes, whereas warm currents carry warm water into cold water areas and are predominantly observed on the east coast of continents in low and middle latitudes.
Factors Influencing Ocean Currents
Several primary and secondary forces influence ocean currents. Primary forces include heating by solar energy which results in the expansion of water, wind friction with the ocean surface which pushes the water to move, and gravity and Coriolis force which contribute to water movement and distribution differences. Secondary forces involve density variations due to differences in water salinity and temperature. Warmer and less saline water tends to rise, whereas denser, colder and more saline water tends to sink, leading to movement patterns in oceans.
The understanding of these influences on ocean currents has been critical in UPSC Civil Services Examinations. For instance, in 2012, the Prelims question was on the factors that influence ocean currents, while in 2022, the Mains question explored the role of these forces in the world’s fishing industry.