Darwin legacy voyage reaches Galapagos Islands

A tall ship which recreated Charles Darwin's famous journey to the southern hemisphere is in the Galapagos Islands.

The tall ship Oosterschelde left Plymouth, in Devon, in 2023.

Darwin’s great-great granddaughter, Dr Sarah Darwin, has accompanied the ship’s crew and a team of 200 international young environmentalists.

On Boxing Day in 1831, Darwin boarded HMS Beagle, in Plymouth, to start a voyage that led him to his theory of natural selection.

Dr Darwin said if her great-great grandfather was alive today "he'd love to be diving" as "the marine life around the Galapagos Islands is well protected and absolutely beautiful".

All of the islands are protected as part of Ecuador's Galapagos National Park and Marine Reserve.

The crew will now research Galapagos tomatoes, the impact of invasive frogs and the evolution of scavenging beetles.

The islands have a large number of endemic species, which were studied by Darwin.

Stewart McPherson, co-founder and project leader, said: "He was acutely aware that humans could have an impact, but I think he'd be astonished to the extent of the impact we have had on the beautiful planet."

Follow BBC Devon on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].