Darwin's Arch, a Rock formation Named After the British Scientist, Collapsed

According to Ecuador's environment ministry, Darwin's Arch, a rock formation in the Galápagos archipelago south-east of Darwin Island, has collapsed due to natural erosion.

Two rocky pillars were left at the northernmost island of the Pacific Ocean archipelago, which lies 600 miles (1,000 kilometers) off the coast of South America, according to images posted on the ministry's Facebook page on Tuesday.

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A Crushing Occurrence

"This occurrence is a result of natural erosion," the social media post said. Darwin's Arch is made of natural stone and was once part of Darwin Island, which is now closed to land visitors.

"This location is regarded as one of the finest on the planet for diving and seeing shark schools and other species."

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No Reported Injury

Visitors on a diving boat saw the collapse at 11.20 a.m. local time on Monday, according to the diving website Scuba Diver Life, noting that no divers were injured.

Darwin's Arch

 
Underwater interactions with sea turtles, whale sharks, manta rays, and dolphins are common at the arch.

The rock formation was named after Charles Darwin, a British scientist who visited the islands on the HMS Beagle in 1835 and established his theory of evolution by studying Galápagos finches.

Diversity Hotspot

The Galápagos Islands, which were designated as one of the first Unesco world heritage sites in 1978, are home to flora and fauna found nowhere else on the planet and are a biosphere reserve. The archipelago is home to 30,000 inhabitants who settle on four populated islands.

The Galápagos Conservation Trust's Jen Jones expressed her sadness at the news of Darwin's Arch collapse. It was a true landmark of the Galápagos ecosystem, as well as a marker for one of the most awe-inspiring nature encounters on the planet, as under the waves lay one of the world's highest concentrations of sharks.

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Fragile World

"The fall of the arch serves as a stark example of the fragility of our world. Although there is nothing we can do as humans to combat natural cycles like flooding, we can protect the islands' valuable marine life.

The Galápagos Conservation Trust is collaborating with other organizations to preserve these sharks both within the Galápagos marine reserve and during their migrations across the eastern tropical Pacific."

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