Carte Postale UNESCO WHS - Galápagos Islands - Giant Tortoise

UNESCO WHS Serie - World Heritage Sites in Ecuador - Galápagos Islands - Galápagos Giant Tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra) - Situated in the Pacific Ocean some 1'000 km from the South American continent, these 19 islands and the surrounding marine reserve have been called a unique living museum and showcase of evolution. Located at the confluence of three ocean currents, the Galápagos are a melting pot of marine species. Ongoing seismic and volcanic activity reflects the processes that formed the islands. These processes, together with the extreme isolation of the islands, led to the development of unusual animal life – such as the Marine Iguana, the giant tortoise and the many types of finch – that inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection following his visit in 1835. Name: Galápagos Islands Country: Ecuador Location: Cantons San Cristobal, Santa Cruz and Isabela, Province of Galapagos Inscription: 1978 Category: Natural (vii)(viii)(ix)(x) Unesco Ref: 1 Special Feature: The card has a QR-Code on the backside to navigate for more Informationas about the site