Darwin helps Royal Mail stamps evolve into a new design
12/02/2009
Royal Mail celebrates the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, with ten specially designed stamps.
Issued today, the ten stamps celebrate Darwin and the areas of his study which inspired his ideas on evolution - zoology, botany, geology, ornithology and anthropology.
The six unique ‘jigsaw’ shape stamps symbolise how his studies of different disciplines came together to form new ideas on evolution. In addition Royal Mail has produced a special sheet comprising of four stamps illustrating the unique wildlife of the Galapagos Islands that includes the Flightless Cormorant, Giant Tortoise, Floreana Mockingbird and Marine Iguana.
The unique sheet of four stamps builds up into a contemporary map of the Galapagos Islands with key species that Darwin studied in the 1830s.
Julietta Edgar, Head of Special Stamps, Royal Mail said:
"Charles Darwin’s ideas triggered a revolution in the understanding of how species evolve. The brilliance of his thinking is symbolised in the unique design of the stamps - the jigsaw shape suggest how Darwin was able to draw on his different areas of study to formulate groundbreaking new ideas."
"The distinctive jigsaw design of the stamps is a great way to link Darwin’s vast areas of research, while the special sheet is a beautiful representation of the Galapagos Islands."
Andrew Marr, President of the Galapagos Conservation Trust said: "I believe Darwin is one of the most influential figures - and important scientists - the world has seen. It is a tremendous accolade to have a set of special stamps to honour his work and fitting that these should feature the Galapagos Islands that so inspired his thinking."
Ends
Issued by Eulogy! on behalf of Royal Mail
Email: stamps@eulogy.co.uk
NOTES TO EDITORS
Images of the Charles Darwin stamps and Miniature Sheet are available by telephoning Siobhan McNeill or Mark Barber at Eulogy! on 0207 927 9999 or via email from stamps@eulogy.co.uk .
Stamps and stamp products are available at all Post Offices, or online at www.royalmail.com/stamps and from Royal Mail Tallents House (tel. 08457 641 641), Royal Mail Tallents House, 21 South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 9PB.
Charles Darwin Stamp by Stamp
1st Class - Charles Darwin - Born in 1809 Charles Darwin initially trained to be a doctor and then for the church before embarking on a career in Natural History that included the publication of The Origin of Species in 1859.
48p - Zoology - Galapagos Marine Iguana - Darwin observed these uniquely adapted aquatic reptiles diving to graze on seaweed during the Beagle voyage.
50p - Ornithology - Galapagos Finches - The Galapagos finches demonstrated to Darwin how numerous forms can evolve to fill different niches within an ecosystem from one original type.
56p - Geology - Pacific Atoll - Darwin studied the formation of coral atolls when the Beagle visited the Cocos (Keeling) Islands in 1836.
72p - Botany - Bee Orchid - Darwin was a keen botanist and observed how certain species rely on specific insects to pollinate them.
81p - Anthropology - Orang-utan - Darwin made comparative studies of his son’s behaviour with that of Jenny the Orang-utan at London Zoo.
Miniature Sheet - Four stamps showing the unique wildlife of the Galapagos Islands - the Flightless Cormorant, Giant Tortoise, Floreana Mockingbird and Marine Iguana - that had a profound effect upon Darwin’s thinking. The species are set against the background of the Admiralty hydrographic map made from observations taken on the Beagle voyage.
Galapagos Conservation Trust Contact:
Jonathan Rush, Acting Information Officer, Galapagos Conservation Trust
Tel: 07798 812253 Email: jonathan@gct.org
Toni Darton, Chief Executive, Galapagos Conservation Trust
Tel: 020 7629 5049 Email: toni@gct.org
www.savegalapagos.org
• The Galapagos Conservation Trust (GCT) is the only UK charity dedicated to supporting Galapagos. Established in 1995 GCT generates income for numerous projects to protect the biodiversity of the islands and meet the challenges of how the human population can live in balance with the unique environment and wildlife of Galapagos. GCT also provides crucial support to the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island and to the Galapagos National Park Service. To find out more visit the website www.savegalapagos.org
• It was observation of the Mockingbirds, Giant tortoises and finches of Galapagos that inspired Darwin’s theory of evolution. GCT has recently launched an appeal to save the Floreana Mockingbird - now one of the rarest birds in the world - and restore its native island.
• Lying 600 miles of the coast of Ecuador the Galapagos Islands make up one of most important wildlife areas in the world and became Darwin’s most significant stop-off during his survey aboard HMS Beagle. His observations and discoveries of new species here became the bedrock for his theory of evolution through natural selection. Today the islands make up the fourth largest Marine Reserve in the world and are famously still home to a range of unique wildlife including the giant tortoise, marine iguana, flightless cormorant, blue-footed booby, waved albatross and Darwin finches.GCT is one of a number of independent Friends of Galapagos organisations around the world. There are similar organisations in the USA, Canada, The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, New Zealand, Finland and Spain.
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