Galapagos - The invasion of the aliens (3/35)

Galapagos - The invasion of the aliens (3/35)

Galapagos had 300 million years time to allow the few specimens, plants and animals, which found their way to the islands in the course of evolution, to mature into a unique habitat. There were few that actually reached the remote islands, and due to the harsh conditions on the volcanic archipelago a balance gradually emerged, in which there was little competition and few hunters. This harmony was disrupted about 400 years ago. People visited the islands and they brought with them domestic animals - cattle, goats, pigs, dogs and cats. Other animals, rats and mice, came as stowaways on the sailing ships. Some of these imported animals escaped from their owners and became the founders of a feral population: pigs burrow on the beach in search of turtles' eggs, dogs eat the iguanas, goats graze on the highlands, depriving the turtles of their nutrition. For the animals of the Galapagos the aliens, the "strangers from another world", pose the greatest danger. Millions of dollars are being invested in the projects now launched by the National Park Services against the invaders. One of the most spectacular projects is that involving the Judas goats, which are fitted with radio collars and then released into the wild. These socially-oriented animals roam around until they find a herd of their own species. The rangers follow the signal and kill the herd of goats. Then they send the lone Judas goat off again in search of its fellows. It will join another group of invaders and thus seal their fate.