archipelago — a group of islands close together in the sea

to crack down on — to become stricter about stopping something illegal

endemic — naturally belonging to one specific place and found nowhere else

stringent — very strict and demanding

to grapple with — to struggle with a difficult problem over a long period of time

illicit — forbidden by law or rules

to wipe out — to destroy something completely so that nothing remains

painstaking — done very carefully and with great attention to detail

to keep in check — to control something and prevent it from becoming worse

irreversibly — in a way that cannot be changed or undone