Examine individual changes

'{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}} {{Short description|Rock arch near Darwin Island (collapsed 2021)}} {{Infobox islands | name = Darwin's Arch | image_name = Darwinarch.jpg | image_caption = Darwin's Arch, 2006 | image_alt = | map = Ecuador Galápagos Islands#Pacific Ocean | map_alt = | map_width = | map_caption = Location in the Galápagos Islands##Location in the Pacific Ocean | map_relief = | label = | label_position = bottom | coordinates = {{coord|1|40|19.2|N|91|59|26.6|W|type:landmark_region:EC|display=it}} | location =Southeast of [[Darwin Island]], [[Galápagos Islands]], [[Ecuador]] | pop = | archipelago = Galápagos Islands | waterbody = | total_islands = | major_islands = | rank = | elevation_m = | elevation_footnotes = | country = [[Ecuador]] }} '''Darwin's Arch''' ({{lang-es|Arco de Darwin}}) was a [[natural rock arch]] feature to the south-east of [[Darwin Island]] in the [[Galápagos Archipelago]] in the [[Pacific Ocean]], and is now a pillar formation. The arch sat on an irregularly shaped, rocky, submerged plateau, nicknamed "the theatre".<ref name=Gala>{{Cite web|url=http://www.galapagos.org/about_galapagos/darwin/|title=Darwin|access-date=19 June 2015|publisher=Galapagos Conservancy}}</ref><ref name="RosenbergSarbone2004">{{cite book|author1=Steve Rosenberg|author2=Ellen I. Sarbone|title=The Diving Guide Galapagos Islands|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s0gQAQAAIAAJ|year=2004|publisher=Cruising Guide Publications, Inc.|isbn=978-0-944428-70-2}}</ref> The arch collapsed into the sea on 17 May 2021 from natural [[erosion]].<ref name="strauss-20210517">{{cite web |last=Strauss |first=Rebecca |url=https://scubadiverlife.com/breaking-news-darwins-arch-collapses/ |title=Breaking News: Darwin's Arch Collapses |work=Scuba Diver Life |date=17 May 2021 |access-date=18 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-57153267 |title=Galapagos Islands: Erosion fells Darwin's Arch |publisher=[[BBC News]] |date=18 May 2021 |access-date=18 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Iconic Natural Rock Feature in the Galápagos Islands Crumbles Into the Ocean |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/iconic-natural-rock-feature-galapagos-islands-crumbles-ocean-180977775/ |website=Smithsonian Magazine}}</ref> Darwin's Arch, along with the nearby Darwin Island, was named after English [[naturalist]] [[Charles Darwin]], whose studies in the surrounding area helped him to form his theory of [[evolution]] by means of [[natural selection]]. As a tribute to Darwin and his works, some locals and industry professionals have nicknamed the remaining stone "towers" the '''Pillars of Evolution'''<ref name="Farzan 2021">{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/05/19/darwins-arch-galapagos-collapse/|title=Darwin's Arch, famed Galápagos rock formation, collapses from erosion|last=Farzan|first=Antonia Noori|author-link=Antonia Farzan|date=19 May 2021|website=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=20 May 2021}}</ref> ({{lang-es|Los Pilares de la Evolución}}). ==Geography== [[File:Darwins Arch, Galapagos.jpg|thumbnail|right|Darwin's Arch and partial view of the plateau, 2003]] Part of [[Ecuador]]'s [[Galápagos Archipelago]], [[Darwin Island]] is a small, uninhabited island with an area of {{Convert|2.33|km2}} and an elevation of {{Convert|168|m}}. Darwin's Arch was {{Convert|1|km}} to the southeast of the island and had a bridge-like appearance, which had been caused by erosion. <ref>{{cite book |last1=Harpp |first1=Karen S. |last2=Mittelstaedt |first2=Eric |last3=d'Ozouville |first3=Noémi |last4=Graham |first4=David W. |year=2014 |title=The Galapagos: A Natural Laboratory for the Earth Sciences |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jTQWBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA311 |publisher=Wiley |isbn=978-1-118-85268-2 | page =311}}</ref> The plateau's wall drops away into the sea, and the arch's ocean side featured a "viewing platform" at {{convert|18|m}}.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Jackson |first1=Jack |year=2008 |title=Dive Atlas of the World |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=urTGmUXj8bMC&pg=PA221 |publisher=Simon & Schuster/New Holland Publishers |isbn=978-1-84773-317-7|page = 221}}</ref> The arch was {{convert|43|m}} high, {{convert|70|m}} long, and {{convert|23|m}} wide.<ref>{{cite web |title=Top of famed Darwin's Arch off the Galapagos collapses |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/darwins-arch-collapse-1.6031500 |publisher=[[CBC News]] |agency=Associated Press |access-date=19 May 2021 |date=18 May 2021}}</ref> == Fauna == From its southern tip to the sloping channel, the marine fauna seen are [[scalloped hammerhead]]s, [[manta ray]]s, [[big-eye jack]]s, [[bonito]], [[yellowfin tuna]], [[dolphin]]s, big schooling of species of [[pelagic fish]], and also [[whale shark]]s of up to {{Convert|45|ft|disp=flip}} in length. The whale sharks are found from early July.<ref name=Gala/><ref name="RosenbergSarbone2004"/> Other marine fauna include [[Moorish idol]]s, [[Galapagos shark]]s, [[eagle ray]]s, [[green turtle]]s, [[hawksbill turtle]]s, [[Silky shark|silkie]] and [[Oceanic whitetip shark|white-tipped reef sharks]], [[barracuda]] and black jack sharks.{{sfn|Jackson|2008|p=221}}<ref>{{cite book|title=Sport Diver|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=alPGlTnUMaAC&pg=PA110|date=January 2001|issn=1077-985X|page=110}}</ref> Many birds are endemic and the species commonly noted is the [[sooty tern]] (''Sterna fuscata''), which breeds on Darwin Island.<ref name=Gala/> == Tourism == The arch was popular with photographers and cruise-ship tours.<ref name=reuters_19052021>{{cite news|title= Darwin's Arch collapses, famed Galapagos Island rock formation|date=19 May 2021|publisher=Reuters|url= https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/darwins-arch-collapses-famed-galapagos-island-rock-formation-2021-05-19/|access-date=19 May 2021}}</ref> The rich wildlife around the arch made it a popular scuba diving location.<ref name=dw_18052021>{{cite news|title=Ecuador: Galapagos icon, Darwin's Arch, collapses |url=https://www.dw.com/en/ecuador-galapagos-icon-darwins-arch-collapses/a-57564675 |work=Deutsche Welle |access-date=19 May 2021 |date=18 May 2021}}</ref> As with Darwin Island, tourists were not permitted to set foot on the arch.<ref name=reuters_19052021/> The surrounding area of the Galápagos Islands was declared a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]] in 1978.<ref name=dw_18052021/> == Collapse == On 17 May 2021, at 11:20{{nbsp}}a.m. [[Galápagos Time]] ([[UTC–6]]),<ref name="strauss-20210517"/> the arch collapsed through natural erosion. A post from Ecuador's Ministry of Environment and Water stated that "this event was a consequence of natural erosion. Darwin's Arch is made of natural stone that at one time would have been part of Darwin Island, which is not open to visits by land."<ref>{{cite tweet |author=Ministerio del Ambiente y Agua de Ecuador |user=Ambiente_Ec |number=1394397390384341004 |title=Informamos que hoy 17 de mayo, se reportó el colapso del Arco de Darwin, el atractivo puente natural ubicado a menos de un kilómetro de la isla principal Darwin, la más norte del archipiélago de #Galápagos. Este suceso sería consecuencia de la erosión natural. |trans-title=We inform everyone that today, May 17, the collapse of the Darwin Arch, the attractive natural bridge located less than a kilometre from the main island of Darwin, the northernmost island of the #Galapagos archipelago, was reported. This event was a consequence of natural erosion. |date=17 May 2021 |access-date=18 May 2021 |language=es}}</ref> The event was witnessed by divers aboard the ''Galapagos Aggressor III''.<ref name="strauss-20210517"/> Following the collapse of the arch, the remaining columns of rock have been nicknamed the "Pillars of Evolution" ({{lang-es|Los Pilares de la Evolución}}) by locals in the tourism and diving industry.<ref name="Farzan 2021"/><ref>{{cite web |title=Famed Darwin's Arch, in Galapagos, Collapses Due to Erosion |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/05/19/998137151/famed-darwins-arch-in-galapagos-collapses-due-to-erorsion |work=[[Morning Edition]] |publisher=National Public Radio ([[NPR]]) |date=19 May 2021 |access-date=20 May 2021}}</ref> The nickname alludes to the arch and the nearby island having been named after Charles Darwin, whose studies of the surrounding area's wildlife contributed to the [[Inception of Darwin's theory|inception of his theory]] of [[evolution]] by means of [[natural selection]].<ref name="Farzan 2021"/> == References == {{reflist|30em}} == External links == * {{commonscat-inline|Darwin's Arch}} {{Recreational dive sites|reesit}} [[Category:Charles Darwin]] [[Category:Destroyed rock formations]] [[Category:Galápagos Islands]] [[Category:Landforms of Ecuador]] [[Category:Landforms of Galápagos Province]] [[Category:Natural arches]] [[Category:Stacks (geology)]] [[Category:Collapsed arches]]'