Darwin's Arch loses its top due to erosion in Galapagos
The famed Darwin's Arch in the Galapagos Islands has lost its top, and officials are blaming natural erosion of the stone.
Ecuador's Environment Ministry reported the collapse on its Facebook page on Monday.
The rock structure - 43 metres high, 70 metres long and 23 metres wide — is less than 1 kilometre from Darwin Island.
This photo distributed by Galapagos National Park shows Darwin's Arch off the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, Sunday, May 16, 2021. Galapagos National Park via AP
This was taken a day later, and the top of the structure is clearly missing. Supplied
It's a popular spot for scuba divers and is not accessible by land.
"Obviously all the people from the Galapagos felt nostalgic because it’s something we’re familiar with since childhood, and to know that it has changed was a bit of a shock," said Washington Tapia, director of conservation at Galapagos Conservancy.
"However, from a scientific point of view, it’s part of the natural process. The fall is surely due to exogenous processes such as weathering and erosion which are things that normally happen on our planet.”
The unique flora and fauna on remote islands, some 1,000 kilometres off the coast of mainland Ecuador are famed in part for inspiring Charles Darwin's thoughts on evolution.
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