(Excerpts from Time For Kids -February 2, 2001 – Vol. 6 – no. 16)

The Galapagos Islands, off the coast of Ecuador, are like nowhere else on earth. Marine iguanas, sea lions, penguins, blue-footed boobies, giant tortoises, land and marine iguanas all make their home there. These animals are found nowhere else in the world.

These fascinating islands and the creatures that live there are in danger. Two weeks ago, a ship carrying about 240,000 gallons of fuel ran aground in about six feet of water off the island of San Cristobal. The captain turned off his radar and then mistook a buoy for a lighthouse. A couple of days later, the ship tipped over, and the oil began leaking into the sea. Before long, the oil spread over an area bigger than the city of Los Angeles.

Scientists were worried sick about the spill. The Galapagos Islands are home to many unique animals. Birds and sea lions that get heavily coated with grease cannot survive. Oil not only poses a deadly threat to local fish and crabs but also threatens the animals that eat those creatures. The oil could poison the food chain.

For two weeks, workers have been struggling to limit the harm. They put floating barriers around the oil slick and sprinkled chemicals to break it apart. Teams tried to save oily animals by using gentle soap to wash fur and feathers. They used milk-which doesn’t sting animals’ eyes-to clean the animal’s heads.

Last week Mother Nature helped too, nudging the slick away from the islands. " The sea currents, the winds and the strong sun have kept the spill from causing major damage," says Fernando Espinoza of the Charles Darwin Foundation, a Galapagos conservation group.

Even so, dozens of animals, including sea lions, albatrosses and boobies, have had to be caught and cleaned. The sticky oil makes it hard for these animals to swim or to stay warm in the water. A few animals have died.

It could take at least two years to clean up the gooey black mess. If the fuel sinks to the ocean bottom, it could smother algae and other sea plants that fish, marine iguanas and birds like to eat.

Oil spills are not the Galapagos’ biggest threat. More and more tourists visit every year. Populations of sea cucumbers and lobsters are shrinking because fishermen are catching too many of them. Residents’ dogs, cats and goats sometimes attack the wild animals or eat their food. The Galapagos have been protected as a national park since 1959, but that is clearly not enough. Unless more is done soon, it may too late.