Lima, March 2026 — In his final days in office, Peru’s outgoing president signed legislation establishing a gigantic marine protected area around the Galápagos-like islands, covering over 380,000 square miles — larger than California and nearly half of Peru’s territorial waters.

The new zone connects with existing marine parks to form one of the world’s fourth-largest marine protected areas. It safeguards humpback whales, dolphins, sea turtles, unique coral reefs, and numerous endangered species. Local fishermen and environmental groups jointly advocated for the protection, marking a major milestone in South American ocean conservation.