On Tuesday, the World Heritage Committee added the Galápagos Islands to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) List of World Heritage in Danger.

Known as a “melting pot of marine species...and unusual animal life,” the area was the first to be placed on the World Heritage List in 1978. However, “the number of days spent by passengers of cruise ships has increased by 150 percent over the past 15 years,” and it is believed the traffic and introduced invasive species are beginning to threaten the natural ecosystem. The List of World Heritage in Danger seeks to mobilize support for the conservation of threatened areas.