The Impact of Foreign Mosquitoes on the Galapagos Islands

Different mosquito species draw from a variety of sources to get the blood they need for reproduction.  Some species choose mammals preferentially, while others prefer birds or even reptiles – interestingly enough, mosquito species seldom stray from their preferred feeding sources.

However, in the Galapagos Islands, one species of mosquito is exhibiting an unusual new behavior.  The Aedes Taeniorhynchus, or black salt marsh mosquito, has traditionally chosen mammals and birds for feeding.  Now, it has begun to feed on reptiles, particularly the Island’s famed marine iguanas and giant tortoises.

At first, it was thought that these mosquitoes were a new or foreign species that had been artificially introduced to the Galapagos Islands.  In fact, there are two species of mosquitoes found on the Galapagos Islands that have apparently been introduced by humans in recent memory.  Further research, however, has shown that these mosquitoes have actually been there for quite some time – possibly as long as 200,000 years.

Researchers believe that the fact that these black salt marsh mosquitoes have begun to change their feeding habits may be evidence that they are currently undergoing a period of evolutionary change.  The differences between the A. Taeniorhynchus mosquitoes found in the Galapagos and the A. Taeniorhynchus mosquitoes found on the mainland are so vast, that they can almost be classified as different species.  In fact, becoming a new species may be exactly what the Galapagos Island mosquitoes are doing.

The real threat is that with tourism increasing, a new mosquito species could easily be introduced to the Island, one that carries a disease that affects animals – particularly the reptiles or birds for which the Island is famous.  The wildlife of the Galapagos Islands is very isolated and has little resistance to disease.  This means that the introduction of a new disease could have serious and perhaps irreparable consequences, devastating this incredible natural resource.  All it would take is for one mosquito to catch a ride aboard a plane headed for the Galapagos and the remarkable wildlife there could be wiped out forever.

Right now, the government of Ecuador has begun requiring planes flying in to the Galapagos Islands to be treated with insecticides both inside the cabin and hold, and outside the plane as well.  Similar requirements have been suggested for ships, but none have so far been implemented, as many cruise lines are concerned about the cost and logistics associated with these processes.

Presently, researchers believe that the largest mosquito based threat to the Galapagos Islands is from foreign mosquitoes being introduced, rather than changes in the native mosquitoes.  Consequently, they plan to let evolutionary changes in the native mosquito run their natural course.  Hopefully they are right, and the steps the Ecuadorian government is taking to prevent the introduction of foreign mosquitoes will be effective.  Otherwise, the great ecological resource that is the Galapagos Islands could be wiped clean from the map, destroying a fascinating ecosystem that isn’t represented anywhere else in the world.

Among all these places, Ladakh city witnesses the largest number of travelers. The main reasons for such huge bulk of travelers every year are its small accessibility period and the beautiful destinations & scope of adventurous activities in Ladakh.

Ladakh lies in trans-Himalayan district of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Both adventure freaks and culture enthusiasts have greater inclination to travel this wonderful location. The place is famous for its high mountain charm and civilization. The place is strongly influenced by the Tibetans culture and due to the strong influence of the Tibetan culture; the place is also called a ‘Little Tibet.’ More than half the population of Ladakh is constituted of Tibetans people.

In the past, Ladakh was a Buddhist kingdom, but after the partition these regions are controlled by Pakistan and China. The two districts of Ladakh include Leh and Kargil. Besides being the largest town of Ladakh and Leh is also known as the capital of Ladakh. One of the most remarkable features of Ladakh is wide scope of adventurous activities here. Some of the popular adventurous activities of Ladakh include:

TREKKING

Trekking is just the kind of adventure sport that every fun-loving traveler would love. The sports involve lot of fun amid the hilly areas in cool surroundings. Some of popular valleys for trekking in Ladakh include the Zanskar valley trek, Markha Valley trek Lamayuru-Padum Valley Trek and Indus Valley Trek. The traditional trekking season extends from early June to mid-October.

RIVER RAFTING

The place is an ultimate spot for river rafting. The place offers wide range rafting option on the Indus and its main branches. However, the best option for white water is between Spituk and Saspol on the Indus. But, it should be noted that this water sport require special skill and the rafter need to be expert before trying hands in this adventure freak. A satisfactory arrangement for rescue coverage is an important pre- requisite for embarking upon a white-water expedition on a river like Zanskar.

MOUNTAINEERING

The walking, hiking, backpacking and climbing on mountains all comes under mountaineering. Generally the climbing season starts from mid-May and exists till mid-October. However, the most appropriate period for mountain climbing in Ladakh is from June to September as this is the time when Ladakh remains unaffected by the monsoon. However all foreign expeditions are required to get permission from the Indian Mountaineering Foundation for climbing all listed peaks.

Now, you must be thinking of exploring all these wonderful adventurous sports option. For this you need a well-organized travel agency to arrange a systematic tour for you. There are several travel agency who arrange meticulous tours for India, but you should bank upon an experienced and Government approved travel agency to avoid getting into any sort of problematic situation.