The Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands 

The Galápagos Islands are probably the most famous wildlife-watching destination in the world. Charles Darwin’s conducted his ground-breaking theory of natural selection on San Cristobal Island, which is located to the east of the other islands. He wrote the book “The Origin of Species.” The land on the islands consist of geologic hot spots which are only a couple of million years old. Approximately 130,000 tourists visited last year and the islands can only support up to 200,000 tourists per year.

            Approximately 620 miles off the coast of Ecuador and South America, and right on the equator, there is a cluster of thirteen volcanic islands (larger than four square miles) plus six smaller islands and more than 100 islets. Each island has its own unique atmosphere, distinctive landscape and wonderful wildlife.

            On the islands there are penguins living in the tropics and boobies with bright blue feet to tool-using woodpecker finches and male frigate birds turning their wrinkled throat sacs into fully inflated red balloons. The word booby means clown in Spanish. Giant tortoises can be seen in the highlands, and some people have snorkeled with sea lions in crystal-clear water. Some of the giant sea tortoises eat the Gian Prickly Pear Cactus. Marine iguanas settle on black lava rocks. The islands host other unique and astonishing species of wildlife such as the Lava Heron, Pelicans, Galagapos Doves, Black Necked Stilts, the Silly Lightfoot Crab, Flamingos and amazingly there are penguins. These are the only penguins that live north of the equator.  

            There are only a few landing spots on the islands, some of the islands host landfills and some of the islands have very little to no people residing on the islands.

            When a volcano erupts, the first plant life is the Lava Cactus. The volcanoes are active on these picturesque islands. The trees lose their leaves every year at about the same time even though the weather stays a relatively constant temperature. One of the types of trees are called the Palo Santo Trees. This archipelago is a land of stark lava formations, cactus forests, lush green highlands, turquoise bays and tropical beaches.  As soon as anyone lands on one of the islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, they can be face-to-face with more oddly fearless and curious animals than anywhere else on Earth. The animals have no reason to fear humans.

            Some of the natives speak their own languages and Spanish is spoken by other inhabitants. Makes me wonder if there were Spanish explorers that landed on these islands some time ago. Goods are transported to the islands to support the tourist trade such as beverages, cabbages and beer. The islands appear to be a magical place to visit and people possibly take a step back in time.