Galapagos Islands: The Wildlife

Charles Robert Darwin was an English naturalist, geologist and biologist, best known for his contributions to the science of evolution. His proposition that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestors is now widely accepted, and considered a foundational concept in science. In a joint publication with Alfred Russel Wallace, he introduced his scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection, in which the struggle for existence has a similar effect to the artificial selection involved in selective breeding. (Source: Wikipedia) 

The data compiled from time spent in the Galapagos Islands were critical to his analysis and research.

' We  saw more animals than we photographed ... both on land and underwater. '

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AMPHIBIANS and REPTILES 

Giant Tortoise (dome shaped shell)

All tortoises are turtles, but not all turtles are tortoises? Along with terrapins, they share a common ancestor. Tortoises are reptilian, turtles are amphibious.

The number of rings on each segment of the Giant Tortoise's shell are identical; counting the rings determines the animals age. They have an average age of 100 and can weigh close to 1000 lbs. One individual lived to be 188. At around 40, the rings begin to diminish.

Giant Tortoise scat. Primarily vegetarian, they draw water and nutrients from plants but expel most of the plant material.

Giant Tortoise (squashed down shell)

Land Iguana (Male)

Land Iguana burrows

Land Iguana (Female)

Land Iguana ... colony

When resting out of water, land iguanas frequently sneeze or cough a wet mist into the air. They do this to expel ocean salts that collect in their nasal passages. Imagine all of them doing that at once!

Lava Lizard (Male)

Lava Lizard (Female)

Pacific Green Sea Turtle ... sleeping

Pacific Green Sea Turtles ... mating

This went on for quite some time and at some point the female (underneath) would have had enough and she'd raise a flipper, rotate the two of them 90 degrees or so and come up for a couple of big gulps of air ... then they would resume, for how long ... we're not sure. Females will mate with more than one male at a time; we often saw 1 or 2 other males circling nearby, waiting their turn.

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BIRDS

Galapagos Flycatcher 

... a very curious and friendly bird. They flew into our camera lens and hovered, landed on our arms and camera bodies. This one rested on our guide Efran's shoulder and posed for us.

Small-billed Ground Finch ... feeding on candleabra cactus.

Small-billed Ground Finches ... male, female, juveniles

American Yellow Warbler

Galapagos Mockingbirds

Interesting to watch them around the Galapagos Hawk. Like our crows around owls or hawks, they rest safely behind and then relentlessly dive, dart and peck at the hawks back and tail end.

Galapagos Dove

Black-necked Stilt

Whimbrel

American Oystercatcher

Striated Heron

Lava Heron

Franklin Gull

Galapagos Penguin
World's second smallest.

Galapagos Penguin ... swimming

Galapagos Penguin ... fishing

Brown Noddy

White-cheeked Pintail Duck

Blue-footed Booby

Blue-footed Booby (Juvenile)

Blue-footed Booby (Young)

Blue-footed Boobys ... fishing

This was fascinating to watch. The flock numbered a couple of hundred individuals. They would circle an area for a couple of minutes in a tight flight pattern and a single individual would choose the time to dive. Once they hit the water in waves they appeared to only be inches apart. The Boobys dive about 2 metres down then turn and swim upwards, catching fish as they surface ... AMAZING! They prefer anchovies, sardines, and other small fishes and the occasional squid. The whole display is then repeated.

Flightless Cormorant
No predators, so they eventually abandoned their wings.

Galapagos Hawk (Female)

Galapagos Hawk (Male)

Pink Flamingos

Great Frigatebird

Great Frigatebird ... nesting pair

Brown Pelican

The Circle of Life ... A Sally Lightfoot Crab feeds on the remains of an unknown seabird.

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CRUSTACEANS and INSECTS

Ecuadorian Hermit Crab

Sally Lightfoot Crab (Male)

Sally Lightfoot Crab (Female)

Sally Lightfoot Crabs (Juvenile)

Galapagos ? Grasshopper 

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SEA MAMMALS

Bryde's Whale ... partial skeleton

Pilot Whales

Galapagos Sea Lions (Males)

These two males were scrapping a bit; the larger one eventually sent the smaller one off to a lower location on the rocks ... neither suffered any damage.

Galapagos Sea Lion (Female w. nursing Pup)

Galapagos 'Tree' Sea Lion

In some mangroves, a few colonies of sea lions have developed a preference for relaxing on mangrove limbs. They use the tide changes to allow them access.

Galapagos Sea 'Bench' Lion ... with tourist

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FISHES and UNDERWATER LIFE

Green Sea Urchin

Black Sea Cucumber or Lolly Fish

Chocolate Chip Sea Star

Panamic Cushion Star (above)

Blue Sea Star (below)

King Angelfish

Blue-chinned Parrotfish

Spotted Eagle Ray (Male)

Spotted Eagle Rays (Female ? and Juvenile ?)

Sting Ray

Galapagos Sea Lion

Next stop ... a few days in the area around Banos and Cuenca.

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We're LOAFin Around  

... but without LOAF this time (he's in his winter spa). 

Follow along, if you like.

Our latest route is included on TRAVELMAP 2019.   

For all posts from this latest adventure
click Trip 146 

Thanks to our guide Efran for the plant and animal identification. 

Wikipedia and others have provided backlinks.

All photography is by LOAFin Around, unless otherwise noted. 

And finally, here's a link to our complete Galapagos photo gallery ... if you're still interested.

Wry and Crusty ... 

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