Books : Plundering Paradise: The Hand of Man on the Galapagos Islands
Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 304.28
EAN: 9780060955762
ISBN: 0060955767
Label: Harper Perennial
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 368
Publication Date: November 01, 2003
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Release Date: October 21, 2003
Sales Rank: 110471
Studio: Harper Perennial
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Product Description:
Mention the Galápagos Islands to almost anyone, and the first things that spring to mind are iguanas, tortoises, volcanic beaches, and, of course, Charles Darwin. But there are people living there, too -- nearly 20,000 of them. A wild stew of nomads and grifters, dreamers and hermits, wealthy tour operators and desperately poor South American refugees, these inhabitants have brought crime, crowding, poaching, and pollution to the once-idyllic islands. In Plundering Paradise, Michael D'Orso explores the conflicts on land and at sea that now threaten to destroy this fabled "Eden of Evolution."
Average Rating: 
Rating:  -
D'Orso's book highlights some very serious issues regarding the conservation of the Galapagos. Some accounts are dramatic and perturbing, mostly so because given the unique and sensible nature of the islands, any disruption in them seems specially worthy of concern.
The problem I see with the book, however, is that the author shines a negative, unconstructive light on most every single subject that he mentions in a self-serving attempt to add to the impact of the book, even at the expense ... Read More
Rating:  -
You know the Galapagos Islands. Darwin made them famous, of course, as a spark for his initial insights on evolution. The specks of land on the equator, off mainland Ecuador, have continued to perform as observatories for evolution. The tiny islands, burned by volcanoes and equatorial sun, have far more life than such an environment might seem able to support, but besides the famous and unusual bird species, there are hundreds of species of starfish, eighty species of spiders, and many others. If ... Read More
Rating: -
Christian Science Monitor, Jan. 30, 2003
The Galápagos Islands have the honor of being the only sizable, habitable land mass to remain unpopulated into the 20th century. The islands' lower slopes and some of the smaller islets are a weird moonscape of ancient lava flows devoid of fresh water. Uphill, however, are permanent water sources and soil capable of supporting orange, papaya, and coconut trees, to say nothing of herds of cattle.
Despite these lush conditions, no community ... Read More
Rating: -
Swimming with sea lions, petting giant tortoises, observing birds who have no fear of man...These Edenic images, promoted by tour companies, have led many of us to dream of traveling to the Galapagos Islands someday and walking in the footsteps of Charles Darwin. But while these images may have been true forty years ago, when small tour boats brought the first tourist-adventurers to the islands, they are far from true today. In this sad chronicle of the Galapagos, 600 miles from Ecuador, which both claims ... Read More
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