Galapagos Islands Travel - 2

  Natural History
  - Wildlife you can expect to see

Much of the wildlife of the Galapagos is unique to the islands and by and large the animals are not afraid of people and are easy to see, you can expect some of the most close-up wildlife encounters on the planet. From cold-water penguins to leaf-toed gecko lizards to the Galapagos sulphur butterflies, this volcanic archipelago continues to amaze and delight.

75 percent of the land birds and 97 percent of the reptiles and mammals on the Galapagos Islands are found nowhere else in the world. Galapagos giant tortoises, which may live as long as 150 years and weigh as much as 400 pounds, lumber right next to you inviting portrait photography. The islands isolation from the mainland means that many birds, iguanas, tortoises, and other animals have no natural predators. Their relative fearlessness of humans stems from this geographic isolation. The Galapagos Islands played a crucial role in the development of biological theories from evolution to island biogeography.

The archipelago's largest animals, the giant tortoises, are endemic to almost all of the islands and, having outlived heavy harvesting in the whaling era, are regarded as a symbol of survival in the Galapagos. There are now 12 remaining species from an original possibly 15.

Scientists estimate that over 250,000 tortoises dominated these small islands prior to the arrival of man, today 15,000 remain. The Charles Darwin Research Station's captive breeding program, started in 1965, has improved the species' outlook, releasing more than 2,800 tortoises to 6 different islands, including 8 giant tortoise sub-species.

The Galapagos' most famous tortoise, Lonesome George died in 2012 at the estimated age of 102. He was the last known tortoise from the island of Pinta and the last of his subspecies, when he died, so did his subspecies, he is a symbol for conservation efforts in the Galapagos and across the world.

Marine iguanas, the world's only sea going lizards, fascinated Darwin. As a young man, he grabbed one by the tail and swung it out into the ocean. It swam back. He repeated the exercise until he deduced that on land, the iguana faced no predators, but in the sea, unknown dangers lurked; though fully equipped to swim, the iguana found safety on shore.

Wings fill the skies and shores of the archipelago. Masked boobies and waved albatrosses ride the coastal thermals, flightless cormorants and penguins patrol rocky shores. Lava gulls squawk from above and Galapagos hawks scan for prey. Galapagos land birds take a casual attitude toward humans, and although they are not dramatic in color, their relative tameness makes them delightful to observe.

Three species of boobies are found in the Galapagos: the blue-footed, masked (white), and red-footed booby. Blue-footed boobies are the most common species of booby in the Galapagos Islands and are the favorite among visitors, known for their astonishingly brightly colored sky-blue feet. Their famous courtship ritual dance is characterized by raising their feet one after the other, pointing their heads and bills in the air, and spreading their crooked wings.

Boobies feed on fish and squid, they dive into the ocean from up to 80 feet in the air, tapered bills and a pointed tail help to streamline their bodies, while their air sacs in the skull and closing nostrils protect them from any impact injuries.

Sally Lightfoot crabs can be easily spotted throughout the islands quickly scurrying about. This swiftness and ability to get out of harm's way is what earned them their name: "lightfoot." Unlike most of the wildlife in the Galapagos, Sally Lightfoots are inclined to run away as they are approached to view them close up. The young crabs are black and well camouflaged amongst the rocks whereas the adults, are bright red and yellow, dramatically contrasting against neutral-colored rocks and sand.

Probably brought to the Galapagos from Antarctica by the Humboldt Current, the small Galapagos Penguin is the only penguin to live and breed on the equator. Standing about 14 inches tall, they appear more duck-like than Antarctic penguins. Adults have a bluish-black head, a white underside, and a thin white band from their eye to their chin. In total, Galapagos Penguins number just a couple of thousand, the breeding population is estimated to be as few as 800 pairs. They are most likely seen on Fernandina, Isabela, Santiago, Bartolome, northern Santa Cruz and Floreana, nesting occurs on Fernandina and Isabela.

One of the favorite animals in the islands, the playful Galapagos Sea Lions provide entertainment for visitors with their amazing abilities in the water. Snorkeling and kayaking with the pups is one of the highlights for many who visit the Galapagos. They can often be found on beaches napping, waddling or basking in the sun. Sea Lions live in large colonies, and adult males, or bulls, head the colony. Bulls can grow up to 7 ft (2 m) in length and can 800 lbs (363 kg) in weight.

Galapagos Fur Seals, far more timid than the Sea Lion, shelter themselves from the sun in shelves or caves of lava cliffs during the day. During the 18th century, these animals were heavily hunted, nearly to extinction. Today, however, their population is more comparable to that of Sea Lions.