"Take only photographs, leave only footprints". The Galapagos visitor´s saying is not always observed by tourists... or colonists. The removal of any type of material or species from the Galapagos is firmly regulated. As a control measure, the Directorate of the Galapagos National Park monitors the luggage that leaves the islands.

	The most common violations usually involve consumable products such as lobster, octopus, chitons... and rock materials such as sand and lava, as well as marine species used as ornaments such as coral.

Since 2006 the Directorate of the Galapagos National Park has X-ray machines at the Baltra and Puerto Baquerizo Moreno airports to control cargo and baggage that is being sent to the mainland and prevent the unlawful removal of natural resources from the Galapagos, as well as to verify the permissions or waybills for permitted extraction.

To prevent the trafficking of the Islands´ endemic flora and fauna, the Park Rangers, assisted by the Environmental Police, conduct cargo inspections 365 days a year on Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal, and on Isabela Island, where activity is still sporadic, only when there are flights.

Results of monitoring and control