CRI听力:Volcano Erupts after 33 Years, Threatening Ecosystem

A volcano atop one of the Galapagos Islands has erupted for the first time in 33 years, threatening the fragile ecosystem.

Wolf volcano began spewing smoke, ash and lava just before dawn on Monday.

The volcano lies on the northern tip of Isabella Island.

Dany Rueda the Galapagos National Park administration says the lava is flowing in the southwesterly direction off the volcano, which is good news for the world's only population of pink iguanas.

"We have verified two active volcano flows that are approximately 10 kilometers from the shore. We're verifying the colonies of pink iguana, the flow could be a distance of about four or five kilometers, which could be good news to dismiss the possibility that the flow could affect the population of pink iguanas."

The Galapagos Islands, which are strictly protected by Ecuador, are home to some of the rarest species of plants and animals in the world, as they developed virtually untouched by humans over the centuries.

The Islands are now home to around 25-thousand people.

The Galapagos, situated about 900-kilometers off the west coast of Ecuador, are where naturalist Charles Darwin developed his groundbreaking theory of evolution through natural selection.