A diesel leak from a tourist ship polluted a 100-metre stretch along a beach in the island of Santa Cruz in Ecuador's Pacific archipelago of the Galapagos, dpa cited officials as saying. Members of the crew of the Evolution ship were cooperating with environmental protection authorities to clean up the fuel spill, officials said Wednesday. The unique animal and plant environment of the archipelago did not appear to be in danger of long-term damage, they said. The fuel is expected to evaporate relatively quickly, without causing major harm. The Galapagos last suffered a major oil spill in 2001. Then, the archipelago was polluted by some 800,000 litres of diesel from a tanker. The Galapagos Islands are known around the world for their rich wildlife, including giant tortoises, blue-footed boobies, Darwin finches and sea lions. English naturalist Charles Darwin visited the islands in 1835, and his evolutionary theory received a decisive boost from what he saw there. The islands have been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1978. Two years ago, however, UNESCO listed the archipelago as endangered, due to the settlement of the islands and the growing number of tourists that visit the area. The Ecuadorian government is making an effort to have the Galapagos removed from this red list.
