Stewart Brand, the 78-year-old technologist who came to fame as editor of "The Whole Earth Catalog, " introduced an ambitious plan to recreate extinct species, using DNA from museum specimens.

CNN: Save the planet, then finish high school

Last year's count introduced a few new species to North America, including the exotic purple swamphen, an escapee now breeding in the Florida Everglades.

ECONOMIST: A splendid tradition in its 109th year

On April 30th Mr Alarcon issued an emergency decree to stem the tides of pollution, immigration, illegal fishing and the kind of introduced species that threaten the islands' fragile ecosystems.

ECONOMIST: Galapagos