Just got back from the Galapagos Islands?

Question

I loved it there. I know there is a law that prohibits people for staying there for longer than a certain period of time. What is it?

Answer 1

I went there three years ago and this is what i remember.  Only people from ecuador are allowed to live there.  Secondly, the ones who live there have to be able to trace there families heritage back before this law was passed.  So, everyone there has family that has been there for a while.

Answer 2

I found this web page from the government of ECuador which states why this is happening. I'll send it as a link but it's in spanish so I'll translate the main ideas:

1. People who live in Galapagos have jobs related to the conservation of this ecosystem and marine wildlife. This includes other related jobs like doctors, teachers, etc who can live and work there in order to assist the people (and their families) who work in the conservation of the islands.

2. By doing this you reduce the risk of spreading diseases brought by men and therefore destroying this eco system.

3. There has to be a proportion between man-habitated land and the rest of the eco system. This proportion has to be 10%(man)  - 90% (animals) in order to respect the lives of the animals with the minimun of interaction with people so their habitats wont be altered.

4. The order of preference of the people who can live there is as follows:

-Native people who have been living there (or their ancestors) for the past 70 years.

-Spouses of native people who come from Ecuador.

-Spouses of native people who come from other countries.

-Temporal contracts (jobs offered to the preservation of the ecosystem)

-Religious people, policemen, missionaries.