Galapagos Island Wildlife
21st January 2009
The Galapagos Islands’ location lies in the Eastern
Pacific Ocean, about 600 miles off the shore of South America. They
are part of Ecuador. Because of the islands’ isolation, most of the
species here are endemic, meaning that they do not exist anywhere
else. These species developed mostly in isolation without contact
with other regions. The Galapagos Islands are therefore a wondrous
natural treasure showing the pure, unspoilt beauty of the animal
kingdom. It was here, watching the various animal species that
Darwin developed his theory of natural selection.
Wildlife in general in the Galapagos Islands evolved without interruption in this isolated environment with few predators, and because of that they evolved without much fear of humans. That is a fantastic treat for the tourist who loves to be in close proximity of wild animals.
Galapagos Penguins
Penguins! That’s right, there are penguins in the
Galapaos islands on the equator in a tropical climate. Why? Well,
the theory is that they migrated from Patagonia during the last ice
age and made the Galapagos their home. But as the Earth warmed once
again, the penguins remained here and slowly adapted to the warmer
weather. Because of that, Galapagos penguins have less fat on their
bodies than penguins from the antarctic region.
Galapagos penguins are very friendly with people, often swimming near them and making contact with them.
The Galapagos Penguins are severely affected by changes in temperature, with El Nino warming trends causing poor breeding seasons. Global climate change is a serious threat to their species.
Galapagos Sea Lion
One of the most famous sights from the Galapagos Islands is the image of sea lions basking on the seashore in close proximity to awe-struck tourists. Galapagos sea lions live on the shore and venturing out not far into the sea to find food. They mainly eat fish, octopus, and squid. Adult sea lions are around 2 meters or 6 feet in length.
They are a subspieces of the California sea lion, and are only found in the Galapagos Islands.
Land Iguana
One of the most commonly-spotted Galapagos insland animals is the land iguana. They move very rapidly, but they often kick back and rest on the beach or in the bushes. They’re pretty lazy and sedentary when they’re not moving from point a to point b or looking for a meal. Their staple food is raw cactus. They even eat the needles!
They are very large lizards, weighing up to 15 pounds. Their lifespan is often over 60 years.
The Galapagos Marine Iguana
The marine iguana is much scarier-looking. It looks
like a vicious man-eating dragon, but it is vegetarian. Unlike land
iguanas, these marine igunans live off the shore in the water,
eating algae off of the rocks. They laze around on top of the rocks
most of the day digesting the algae. They are very tame and are not
scared of people.
Galapagos Marine Turtle
Marine turtles are one of the most exciting attractions for snorkellers in the galapagos, as marine turtles can hold their breath for hours so you have many opportunities to swim alongside them.
They also peruse the beaches, leaving their tracks for all to see.
Galapagos Hawk
The Galapagos Islands are also good for birdwatchers.
One amazing bird to keep your eyes open for is the Galapagos Hawk.
There are fewer than 150 mating pairs remaining, so you have to
keep your eyes peeled to catch a glimpse of them. But they are a
wonder to behold. They build their nests low to the ground on lava
ledges, and sometimes even on the ground itself. The mating pair
usually stay together near the nest, so there’s a possibility that
you will see a pair in their nest close to the ground.
Its plumage can vary from bright yellow and black to white and brown. They are predators who feed on the islands’ lizards, including both land and marine iguanas.
The wildlife is the real gem of Galapagos travel, and I hope you make the effort to visit. It will be trip you never forget.
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