“Galapagos – Die Invasion der Aliens”

Nature and Environment (), Felix Heidinger, Udo A. Zimmermann 45 min

The Galapagos Islands had 300 million years to allow the few settlers, plants and animals, which had naturally come the islands, to develop in a unique living space. Only a few came to these remote islands, and under the rough conditions on this volcano archipelago with almost no competition, a few natural hunters could slowly develop. Approximately 400 years ago, this balance was changed. Men visited the islands and brought their domestic animals with them, such as cattle, goats, pigs, dogs and cats. Other animals, such as rats or mice arrived as blind passengers on the sailing ships. Some of these imported animals escaped their owners and formed a wild population. For the fauna of the Galapagos, these aliens, these “foreigners from another world”, present a great danger.