'Mission Galapagos' Recap: 'Future Frontiers'

Written by John Edward Betancourt

​You know, I have to admit that there was a touch of sadness in my heart when it comes to last night’s episode of Mission Galapagos. Because last night’s tale, signaled the end of one incredible journey, wherein we’ve learned true wonders about this tropical paradise and just how resilient the wildlife is in this magical place. So, it’s a shame to know that we won’t be learning anything more about this chain of islands for the time being, but that’s okay. Because thankfully the series went out with a bang, since ‘Future Frontiers’ offered us a touch of hope for the future of this place, despite the tough and sobering elements it presented to us over the course of the hour.
 
Because this final episode of the series focused heavily on mankind and how its arrival in this place is already altering the delicate eco system here and much of the research performed in this tale, revolved around exactly how great of an impact we are currently having on the native wildlife. For example, the beautiful sea turtles here, a species in decline, are struggling with survival further thanks to plastic floating in the ocean, since they consume it without giving it a second thought since it looks like the algae they thrive upon and they aren’t the only species experiencing a sense of disruption thanks to the arrival of man.
 
The sharks that come to breed here for instance, leave their pups in a precarious place since their young leave their nesting area at an early age to find food and in doing so, they run into the fisherman near their place of birth and get caught up in their nets and the giant tortoises that roam this paradise, are also running into issues with their food supply. Because these gentle giants have a pattern when it comes to feeding, something that is engrained in them since they live so long, and as mankind begins to spread out into their natural habitat, they’re running into roadblocks such as fences or livestock, that keep them from their food supply.
 
However, while it seems as though this episode was nothing more than a steady proclamation on the evil of mankind, that was simply not the case. Because I did mention that there was hope in this tale, and every single vignette in this story, brought about a sense of joy. After all, the scientists here aren’t saying mankind needs to leave or is the worst thing ever, they’re simply pointing out, we have to do better when it comes to living in harmony with nature, and handle our waste better, not fish in areas where those sharks breed and adapt our expansion to accommodate the wildlife and the fact that people are working toward solutions on these matters, gives one hope that maybe, everything will turn out all right in the end.
 
If anything, this was a perfect close to a perfect series, especially when one considers that it ended by pointing out that Galapagos continues to grow since there is a new island slowly rising beneath the sea here and ending on that note, reminds us that life continues to thrive in this place, and it does find a way to persevere in the face of danger and you couldn’t ask for a more uplifting finale to this series, one that told its tale in unique and beautiful fashion and I thank everyone behind the scenes for putting together such a magnificent look at this special paradise and I cannot wait to see a follow up documentary somewhere down the road to see what kind of progress has been made on preserving the precious life that inhabits the Galapagos Islands. 

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