Galápagos Islands
The Galápagos Islands is a volcanic archipelago in the Pacific Ocean. It's considered one of the world's foremost destinations for wildlife-viewing. A province of Ecuador, it lies about 1,000km off its coast. Its isolated terrain shelters a diversity of plant and animal species, many found nowhere else. Charles Darwin visited in 1835, and his observation of Galápagos' species later inspired his theory of evolution.
Galapagos Islands, island group of the eastern Pacific Ocean, administratively a province of Ecuador. The Galapagos consist of 13 major islands (ranging in area from 5.4 to 1,771 square miles [14 to 4,588 square km]), 6 smaller islands, and scores of islets and rocks lying athwart the Equator 600 miles (1,000 km) west of the mainland of Ecuador. Their total land area of 3,093 square miles (8,010 square km) is scattered over 23,000 square miles (59,500 square km) of ocean. The government of Ecuador designated part of the Galapagos a wildlife sanctuary in 1935, and in 1959 the sanctuary became the Galapagos National Park. In 1978 the islands were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, and in 1986 the Galapagos Marine Resources Reserve was created to protect the surrounding waters. The Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz (Indefatigable) Island promotes scientific studies and protects the indigenous vegetation and animal life of the Galapagos.
Galapagos Islands: Fernandina Island
The Galapagos Islands are formed of lava piles and dotted with shield volcanoes, many of which are periodically active. The striking ruggedness of the arid landscape is accentuated by high volcanic mountains, craters, and cliffs. The largest of the islands, Isabela (Albemarle), is approximately 82 miles (132 km) long and constitutes more than half of the total land area of the archipelago; it contains Mount Azul, at 5,541 feet (1,689 metres) the highest point of the Galapagos Islands. The second largest island is Santa Cruz.
The Galapagos Islands were discovered in 1535 by the bishop of Panama, Tomás de Berlanga, whose ship had drifted off course while en route to Peru. He named them Las Encantadas (“The Enchanted”), and in his writings he marveled at the thousands of large galápagos (tortoises) found there. Numerous Spanish voyagers stopped at the islands from the 16th century, and the Galapagos also came to be used by pirates and by whale and seal hunters. The area had been unclaimed for almost 300 years before colonization began on what is now Santa María Island in 1832, when Ecuador took official possession of the archipelago. The islands became internationally famous as a result of their being visited in 1835 by the English naturalist Charles Darwin; their unusual fauna contributed to the groundbreaking theories on natural selection presented in his On the Origin of Species (1859).
The climate of the Galapagos Islands is characterized by low rainfall, low humidity, and relatively low air and water temperatures. The islands have thousands of plant and animal species, of which the vast majority are endemic. The archipelago’s arid lowlands are covered by an open cactus forest. A transition zone at higher elevations is covered with a forest in which pisonia (a four o’clock plant) and guava trees dominate, and the moist forest region above the transition zone is dominated by a Scalesia forest with dense underbrush. The treeless upland zone is covered with ferns and grasses.
The archipelago is renowned for its unusual animal life. Its giant tortoises are thought to have some of the longest life spans (up to 150 years) of any creature on Earth. The close affinities of Galapagos animals to the fauna of South and Central America indicate that most of the islands’ species originated there. Because of subsequent evolutionary adaptations, an amazing range of subspecies are found on the islands today. Galapagos finches, for example, have developed a multitude of adaptive types from one common ancestral type; their subspecies now differ mainly in beak shape and size. The swimming marine iguanas, which feed on seaweed and in some places cover the coastal rocks by the hundreds, are unique and endemic. Another species of interest is the flightless cormorant. In addition, penguins and fur seals live on the islands side by side with tropical animals. A geologic study published in 1992 suggested that underwater seamounts near the Galapagos had formed islands between 5,000,000 and 9,000,000 years ago; this helped explain the great amount of endemic speciation, which many biologists believe could not have occurred in a lesser amount of time. The existing Galapagos Islands were formed between 700,000 and 5,000,000 years ago, making them geologically young.
The islands’ human inhabitants, mostly Ecuadorans, live in settlements on San Cristóbal, Santa María, Isabela, and Santa Cruz islands; Baltra has an Ecuadoran military base. Some of the islands are virtually untouched by humans, but many have been altered by the introduction of nonnative plants, the growth of the local human population, and tourist traffic. Tourism, fishing, and agriculture are the main economic activities. Pop. (2001) 18,640; (2010) 25,124.
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Top 10 Animals to Spot in the Galapagos Islands
In the Galapagos Islands, animals have lived and evolved for millions of years without any human interaction. Unlike other parts of the world where creatures have built-in instincts of fear, many of the species found here have never had to worry about predators. As a result, a visit to this region allows for up-close encounters which you’ll never forget.
From sea lions curiously approaching you while snorkeling to marine iguanas being utterly unbothered by your presence, the Galapagos Islands are a haven for spotting animals in the wild. Here’s our ultimate list of ten animals to spot while sailing on Aqua Mare.
1) Galapagos Giant Tortoise
IUCN Status: Vulnerable
One of the most renowned animals in the Galapagos archipelago, the region’s giant tortoises are some of the biggest in the world. The average size of a Galapagos giant tortoise is 1.5 meters, growing to a maximum of 1.8 meters and weighing up to 400 kilograms. These animals have a life expectancy of over 100 years, with the oldest tortoise on record living to an age of 175.
It is believed that giant tortoises live so long courtesy of their lean diet of grasses and leaves, a healthy sunbathing regime, and nearly 16 hours of rest a day. The tortoises can survive for up to a year without eating or drinking because of their slow metabolism and ability to store large amounts of water.
Once numbered at over 250,000, the Galapagos Tortoise population has dwindled to less than 15,000 today due to exploitation by whalers, buccaneers, and fur sealers. While sailing on Aqua Mare, guests will have the opportunity to visit Fausto Llerena Tortoise Center, a long-term program run by the Galapagos National Park to help with conservation and restoration of the giant tortoise population.
2) Galapagos Penguin
IUCN Status: Endangered
It’s believed that storms and ocean currents carried over the first Galapagos penguins from Southern Chile to the islands. Despite being left stranded, they were able to survive and grow their population. Over time, they have adapted to their surroundings as well.
Today, Galapagos penguins are the only species of penguins which can be found in the northern hemisphere. To survive in the warm climate, they have evolved in a number of ways. They have far less body fat and feathers than their cold-weather counterparts. Additionally, they have bare patches of skin around their eyes and by the base of their bills. This helps them lose body heat and stay cool throughout the summer.
Guests aboard the Aqua Mare will have the opportunity to spot Galapagos penguins on a variety of occasions. Those traveling through our Western Galapagos itinerary might see them during their visit to the volcanic Sombrero Chino Island. They’ll also be able to get up close while snorkeling during their visit to Bartolome Island. On the other hand, those guests traveling in the East will get to visit Fernandina Island, which boasts the largest colony of penguins inhabiting the archipelago. Find out more about Galapagos penguins here.
3) Magnificent Frigatebird
IUCN Status: Least Concern
The largest of the frigatebirds, this remarkable species is endemic to the Galapagos archipelago. Magnificent frigatebirds are renowned for their bizarre courting ritual wherein the males inflate their bright red chests, almost like a balloon. They proceed to drum on their chest with their bills in order to attract females.
Unlike most other bird species in the Galapagos Islands, magnificent frigatebirds can’t land on water or hunt for food in the ocean. In order to survive, they’re forced to steal food from other birds. They’re often seen chasing after blue-footed boobies and shaking them by the tail until they throw up.
Due to their lack of hunting skills, magnificent frigatebirds have evolved to require very little amounts of food. Their bones are extremely light, and they barely need to move their wings when flying high. In fact, magnificent frigate birds can remain in the sky for weeks at a time, while hanging onto the wind currents.
4) Flightless Cormorant
IUCN Status: Vulnerable
Owing to centuries of evolution and natural selection, flightless cormorants have lost the ability to fly. Being an endemic species in the Galapagos Islands, they’ve never faced much threat from land predators. This removed the need for them to have functional wings.
However, due to the scarcity of food in the archipelago, it was important that the cormorants knew how to swim. Surviving mostly on eels and octopus, those which were more adept at swimming were likely to live longer and contribute to the genepool.
Today, there are around a 1000 breeding pairs of flightless cormorants, which can mostly be found on the islands of Isabela and Fernandina. They make their nests on land, using materials – such as seaweed – that can be found in the ocean. These birds can be spotted all-year-round, however, to witness their courting rituals, a visit between May and October is recommended.
While sailing on Aqua Mare’s West Galapagos itineraries, guests will visit Punta Espinoza which is home to a large population of flightless cormorants.
5) Darwin’s Finches
IUCN Status: Vulnerable
Named after biologist Charles Darwin – whose famous theory of evolution was founded on his research studies in the Galapagos Islands – Darwin’s finches refer to 14 species of small land birds, 13 of which are endemic to the archipelago.
Although they’re generally similar in shape and size, different species of Darwin’s finches have distinguishable characteristics such as their habitat and diet.
For example, common cactus finches and green warbler finches are among the most prevalent and can be found on most of the islands in the Galapagos archipelago. The mangrove finch – which is now critically endangered – can only be spotted near Isabela island.
The finches are said to have evolved into different species over time, as they developed characteristics to help them survive better on the different islands. Observing these differences allowed Darwin to conceptualize his theory of evolution.
6) Scalloped Hammerhead Shark
IUCN Status: Critically Endangered
An unmistakable group of sharks, scalloped hammerheads can be distinguished by the wide shape of their heads. The ridges in their head have earned them their name and separate them from other species of hammerhead sharks.
Scalloped hammerheads can be found near the shores of Darwin and Wolf island in the Galapagos archipelago. They are one of the region’s rarer animals, however, if there are any in the nearby waters, Aqua Mare’s expert naturalist guides will be sure to help you spot them. Usually, scalloped hammerheads swim over rocky reefs or along walls. They tend to be solitary, but might be found in packs on occasion.
Their wide-spaced eyes and nostrils are adaptations which help these sharks track down nearby prey easily. Along with this, scalloped hammerheads also have special sensory cells which allow them to detect the electrical fields of the small fish which they feed on.
7) Galapagos Land Iguana
IUCN Status: Vulnerable
Perhaps the closest living relatives of mythical dragons, Galapagos land iguanas are striking creatures. They’re one of the largest lizards in the world with sharp claws and blotchy yellow skin. Being cold-blooded reptiles, land iguanas spend most of their time basking in the sunshine. While sailing on Aqua Mare, guests can expect to be welcomed by these stress-free creatures relaxing on the volcanic island rocks.
Galapagos land iguanas tend to live by themselves. Male iguanas are especially territorial and often become aggressive while fending off other males. They may thrash their tails, head-butt, and even bite other iguanas which try to invade their space. Female iguanas are not quite as hot-headed. They can be spotted living in groups – at least when it’s not breeding season. These dynamics change when it comes time to lay eggs. Female iguanas search far and wide for an ideal nesting place, and they may travel as far as nine miles to find it.
Due to the lack of fresh water in the Galapagos Islands, cactus is an important source of nutrition for Galapagos land iguanas. The iguanas have a leather-like texture to their skin and tongue which protects them and allows them to feed on spined cactus. This makes up for up to 80 percent of their diet.
8) Galapagos Marine Iguana
IUCN Status: Vulnerable
Galapagos marine iguanas are the only seafaring lizards in the world and one of the islands’ most peculiar-looking species. They are endemic to this region and scientists believe that they shared a common ancestor with land iguanas. Over the course of millions of years, marine iguanas have evolved to survive on food found under the sea.
They have developed a flattened snout to feed on algae found on underwater rocks. Their claws allow them to grab onto the rocks, and their tail is shaped to help them move efficiently through the water. Marine iguanas can hold their breath for up to thirty minutes while feeding in the ocean.
Green and red algae are the primary source of nutrition for marine iguanas. At times, they can also be seen eating grasshoppers and small shrimps and krill. On a select few islands, marine iguanas have been found feeding on land-based plants as well.
9) American Flamingo
IUCN Status: Least Concern
Although American flamingos are found across the Caribbean as well, their population in the Galapagos Islands displays a number of genetic differences. Most notably, they’re smaller in size and have a different body shape.
American flamingos can mostly be found in brackish lagoons. While traveling on our Galapagos cruise, guests will be able to spot them on a hiking trail in Dragon Hill, which begins with a wet landing and continues inland through mangroves and sand dunes to a flamingo lagoon.
The flamingos feed on algae, crustaceans, and microscopic plant materials. These contain carotenoid pigments which contributes to their remarkable pink coloration. Along with feeding, American flamingos also perform their courtship ritual in shallow water. This comprises a synchronized dance, following which mating pairs nest, and the female lays a single egg.
10) Bryde’s Whale
IUCN Status: Endangered
One of the most elusive creatures to inhabit the Galapagos Islands, Bryde’s whales are solitary animals which spend most of the day around fifty feet beneath the water’s surface. They venture deeper when searching for food, reaching depths of up to 1,000 feet. Bryde’s whales can dive for a maximum of 20 minutes at a time.
Measuring up to 15 meters in length, Bryde’s whales can be distinguished by the three lateral raised ridges on top of their heads. Although they’re smaller than their cousin species such as Blue whales and Sei whales, Bryde’s whales can still weigh over 20,000 kilograms.
While sailing on Aqua Mare, the captain is always on the look out for whales which might be swimming nearby. Guests are told about any sightings and are welcome to see for themselves from the panoramic lounge or sun deck.
Interested to discover the Galapagos Islands’ wildlife with our experienced naturalist guides? Join us on board our luxury superyacht, Aqua Mare.
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