Until Monday, the Arch of Darwin connected two rocks jutting out of the water. The rock formation southeast of Darwin Island in the Pacific Ocean has been a draw for divers. Now only two pillars are still standing.
Former arch and island take their name from the British scientist Charles Darwin, who traveled to the Galapagos Islands with his ship the Beagle in the 19th century. Darwin’s research into the flora and fauna there also formed the basis for his theory of evolution.
Ecuador’s Ministry of Environment reported the rock formation collapse on its social media channels on Monday. According to the ministry, the decay is a result of natural erosion: wind, water and ice would have worn the rocks to such an extent that the bridge formation gave way.
The Galapagos Islands, located about 1,000 kilometers west of Ecuador, have been on the World Heritage List since 1978. Four of the islands are inhabited: in total about thirty thousand people live there.
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