Experience the Beauty of the Galápagos’ New Marine Sanctuary

On March 21, the government of Ecuador announced the creation of a marine sanctuary and 21 conservation areas in the Galápagos Islands, fully protecting a vibrant ecosystem that’s home to the highest abundance of sharks on the planet. The new sanctuary will safeguard more than 47,000 square kilometers of ocean—roughly one-third of the waters around the archipelago—against fishing and other extractive industries such as mining and oil drilling.