back to article Galapagos volcano's MILE-HIGH WALL of FIRE menaces SUPER-RARE iguanas

Erupting for the first time in 33 years, the Volcán Wolf is hurling fire, lava and ash over the Galápagos Islands. The eruption on Isabela Island is not expected to pose a risk to its 2,200 human inhabitants – who are, mostly, 70 miles away in Puerto Villamil – although its unique population of pink land iguanas have been in …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Mushroom

    Southwest, good

    Northwest, and the only wild Penguins in the Northern Hemisphere would be endangered. (Little known fact; there are penguins on the Northern tip of Isabella island, and that's in the Northern hemisphere.)

  2. Sir Sham Cad

    Hot meat pies?

    There's (or perhaps was) supposed to be a population of C. becki tortoises on the northern and western slopes of Volcan Wolf. If the lava is flowing south west (and never mind the dispersement of hot ash) could this endanger that population?

    1. Chris G

      Re: Hot meat pies?

      And named meat at that!

      From what I have just read, most of the wildlife there is at greater danger from tourism than the volcanic environment it has evolved in, although I can't picture how a large tortoise can outrun lava.

      1. Tom 7

        Re: Hot meat pies?

        Large tortoises have evolved to surf down the lava on their backs. They actually work together to ensure eruptions happen regularly.

  3. Pen-y-gors

    Protecting wildlife is very important.

    and usually trumps all other considerations - economic benefit etc. Can't they take out an injunction against the volcano?

    1. Sir Sham Cad

      Re: injunction against the volcano

      Well quite. That fucker has rounded corners *and* a chunk out of the side.

  4. James Loughner
    Childcatcher

    Hmmm seems to me that such natural events would drive the evolution that seems to be of interest.

    Yo cant evolve without some breakage. Which means some are not going to make it.

  5. SoloSK71

    And in related news, WWF and PETA have asked Ecuadorian courts to issue injunctions against the volcano for endangering these rare animals.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Carbon Footprint

    I'm guessing the the carbon footprint/emissions of this volcano will be significant. Is this good or bad in terms of global warming ? It should get a strongly worded letter from the UN to cease and desist these shenanigans.

    1. Martin Budden Silver badge
      Joke

      Re: Carbon Footprint

      It's all part of the natural cycle: volcanoes make new fertile land, fertile land grows more trees, trees absorb carbon, we cut down the trees to make paper, and the UN writes strongly worded letters on the paper.

    2. Schlimnitz

      Re: Carbon Footprint

      From what I understand previous big volcanoes have caused substantial cooling (Wikipedia has an article on Volcanic winter).

      My technological solution to global warming would thus be to chuck a nuke down a sufficiently remote (from me) volcano.

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