Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands — the natural paradise that inspired some of Charles Darwin’s most important writings on his Theory of Evolution — are being destroyed by the massive influx of tourists to the protected area.

According to Spain’s 20 Minutos, UNESCO director Koichiro Matsuura says his team conducted an inspection of the islands last April and found them in grave danger due to the “excessively high” number of visitors to the island, and the contamination of the natural flora and fauna by non-native plants and animals.

Ana Albán, Ecuador’s environmental minister, says that the country will make this problem a “national priority”, and meanwhile UNESCO is studying the possibility of putting the islands on their list of at-risk natural heritage sites.

Via / 20 Minutos