Asilo de la Paz (English: Haven of Peace[1]) is a location on Floreana Island in the Galapagos archipelago. It is the site of Floreana's first human settlement,[1] and is now among the island's most popular tourist attractions.[2] The site has a maximum elevation of 450 meters above sea level.[3]

Wildlife

Asilo de la Paz contains an area of intact Scalesia forest that provides important habitat for multiple species of Darwin's finch, including the critically endangered medium tree finch (Camarhynchus pauper).[3] A warbler finch (Certhidea fusca), previously considered extinct on Floreana, was reportedly heard at Asilo de la Paz in 2008,[3] although this sighting is not universally accepted.[4] Giant tortoises, previously owned as pets by the island's residents, roam a large enclosed area at Asilo de la Paz.[5] These tortoises are a mixture of species from other islands, since Floreana's native tortoise, Chelonoidis elephantopus, has been extinct on the island since shortly after 1835.[5][6]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Allison Amend (2017) "In the Footsteps of Charles Darwin" The New York Times. Published June 20, 2017. Accessed March 23, 2020.
  2. ↑ E. Ruiz-Ballesteros & Brondizio, E. S. (2013). Building negotiated agreement: The emergence of community-based tourism in Floreana (Galapagos Islands). Human Organization, 323-335.
  3. 1 2 3 Jody A. O'Connor, Frank J. Sulloway & Sonia Kleindorfer (2010) "Avian population survey in the Floreana highlands: is Darwin's Medium Tree Finch declining in remnant patches of Scalesia forest?" Bird Conservation International, 20(4): 343-353.
  4. ↑ Michael Dvorak, Erwin Nemeth, Beate Wendelin, Patricio Herrera, Denis Mosquera, David Anchundia, Christian Sevilla, Sabine Tebbich & Birgit Fessl (2017). "Conservation status of landbirds on Floreana: the smallest inhabited Galápagos Island". Journal of Field Ornithology, 88(2): 132-145.
  5. 1 2 Emma Marris (2017) "Resurrecting a Long-Lost Galapagos Giant Tortoise" Wired. Published September 14, 2017. Accessed March 23, 2020.
  6. ↑ Ryan C. Garrick, Edgar Benavides, Michael A. Russello, James P. Gibbs, Nikos Poulakakis, Kirstin B. Dion, Chaz Hyseni et al. (2012) "Genetic rediscovery of an ‘extinct’Galápagos giant tortoise species". Current Biology, 22(1): R10-R11.
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