Rare Pink Iguanas Safe Despite Wolf Volcano Eruption
The Wolf volcano, soaring high on Isabela Island in the Galapagos, is home to the critically endangered pink iguana. With just 211 believed left as of last August, these rare reptiles cling to survival on the volcano’s slopes.
Volcano Erupts But No Threat To Pink Iguanas
Wolf is the tallest volcano in the Galapagos and sits a remote 62 miles from the nearest human settlement. On Friday, the Galapagos National Park confirmed it’s erupting, sending plumes of smoke and ash thousands of metres high. Thankfully, the smoke drifts north, where no people or iguanas live.
The park sent rangers and scientists to investigate immediately. “The team confirmed that the habitat of these species is far from the eruption and the impact zone, so no additional protection measures are currently being considered,” the official statement said.
Galapagos: Home to Unique Wildlife Wonders
Located in the Pacific Ocean 600 miles off Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands are a protected haven for unique wildlife. Famous naturalist Charles Darwin studied evolution here, and the place shelters not just pink iguanas but yellow iguanas and giant tortoises.
Pink Iguana: A Precious Species on the Edge
First spotted in 1986 and classified as a distinct species in 2009, the pink iguana is one of the Galapagos’ most vulnerable animals. According to the Galapagos Conservation Trust, just around 200 iguanas survive in a tiny 25 sq km patch on Wolf’s slopes. Conservation efforts remain crucial to keep these rare reptiles from vanishing forever.
