Wolf Volcano in Galapagos erupts after 33 years, threatening fragile ecosystem

QUITO, Ecuador – A volcano atop one of the Galapagos Islands has erupted for the first time in 33 years, threatening a fragile ecosystem that inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution.

Ecuador’s Galapagos National Park administration said the mile-high (1.7 kilometre-high) Wolf volcano began spewing fire, smoke and lava before dawn Monday.

The volcano lies on the northern tip of Isabela Island, the archipelago’s largest. It’s far from the only population centre, Puerto Villamil, 70 miles (115 kilometres) to the south. Authorities said no tourist activity was affected.

Authorities said lava flowing in the southwest direction for now poses no risk to the world’s only population of pink iguanas, which live on the island’s northwest tip.