Guide t ot he
Galapagos... Your FREE guide to the Galapagos’s most famous animals Key wildlife highlights of each island The best places to see giant tortoises, sea lions, penguins, marine iguanas & more!
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1000km west off the coast of Ecuador, lie the remote Galapagos Islands... The world-renowned archipelago that inspired Charles Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection is famous for its abundance of rare wildlife and unique natural features. Its location on the equator and unique set of environmental conditions set the islands apart from all other archipelagos and give rise to an unmatchable concoction of endemic plants and animals. This guide will take you through a selection of the species you can expect to find here and which islands many of the Galapagos’ most famous inhabitants have made their home.
Did you know?
There are many native reptile species in the Galapagos (reptiles are the best adapted to deal with the harsh salty and sunny conditions of weeks at sea), but no amphibians; there is also an abundance of land and sea bird species, but very few mammals. When considering plants, those with large flowers and big seeds are absent while grasses and ferns abound.
Why are there so many diverse species in the Galapagos?
Five to ten million years ago, the tops of underwater Galapagos volcanoes appeared above water for the first time. Those volcanic peaks were completely devoid of plant and animal life therefore any plants and animals that are now native to the islands must have arrived to the islands originally through some form of long-distance dispersal. It is likely that the ancestors of present-day Galapagos animals that are good swimmers (sea lions, sea turtles, penguins) actually swam their way to the islands with the help of some swift ocean currents. On the other hand, it is believed that many of the reptiles and small mammals (rice rats) were carried to the islands from the South or Central American mainland on rafts of vegetation.
Source: www.galapagos.org
Galapagos Tortoises It is interesting to note that ‘galapago’ is, in fact, Spanish for tortoise. The Galapagos tortoises are the largest in the world and possess one of the longest lifespans of any living vertebrate, with an average lifespan of over 170 years. They have a large, dark brown shell, the plates of which are fused with the ribs to form a resilient structure that is part of the skeleton. Galapagos tortoises can found on seven of the islands.
Galapagos Penguin A few of the Galapagos Islands are located marginally north of the equator, meaning that the native Galapagos penguin is the only penguin on earth to reside in the northern hemisphere. These penguins are among the smallest on earth and, sadly, remain an endangered species. At present, there are fewer than 1,000 breeding pairs of Galapagos penguins in the world.
Blue-footed Boobies These fascinating birds are distinguishable by their brightly coloured blue feet, which play a key role in courting rituals and breeding. A blue-footed booby will lift its feet up and down as part of an entertaining display to attract females. It is also interesting to note that the natural blue colour is established from the pigments obtained from a diet of fresh fish. Whilst the blue-footed booby is not actually native to the Galapagos Islands, around half of the world’s population reside there.
Magnificent Frigatebirds This is perhaps one of the most distinguishable birds in the world and, although widespread, it is thought that native magnificent frigatebirds are distinctive for not having bred with mainland counterparts. The most distinctive feature of these birds is the red throat pouch, which makes for a stunning, bright display when fully inflated. As you may have expected, the bigger the pouch, the most attractive it will appear to females.
Marine Iguanas Found only on the Galápagos Islands the marine iguana is so called due to its unique ability to forage in the sea, unlike other lizards. The iguana can dive over 9 m (30 ft) into the water and has spread to all the islands in the archipelago. It mainly lives on the rocky shores but can also be spotted in marshes and mangrove beaches. Charles Darwin was less than impressed by the iguana’ handsomeness, writing: “The black Lava rocks on the beach are frequented by large disgusting clumsy Lizards. They are as black as the porous rocks over which they crawl & seek their prey from the Sea. I call them ‘imps of darkness’.”
Galapagos Sea Lion One of two types of seal found in Galapagos, these are not ‘true’ seals, as they lack the characteristic long, finger-like claws of seals and are able to rotate their hind flipper under their pelvis. The latter enables them to ‘gallop’ across land - reaching faster than a human could running across the rocks! You can easily distinguish the males from the females, with the males sporting a prominent bump on their forehead. Their bodies are smooth and streamlined, making them efficient hunters, and they can dive to depths of up to 350 metres, staying underwater for 10 minutes!
Bartolomé
Islands of the Galapagos
The most visited and photographed island of the Galapagos, Bartolomé is a somewhat barren island to the east of Santiago Island. It is also home to one of the Galapagos Islands’ most recognisable sites, Pinnacle Rock which was featured in the 2003 film ‘Master and Commander’.
Wildlife Highlights: • Birdwatchers should lookout for Galapagos Penguins, herons, and Galapagos Hawks • Galapagos Penguins have established a small breeding colony in a cave behind Pinnacle Rock • Green Sea Turtle nesting beaches* - swimming is allowed on the northern beach • Stingrays, Spotted Eagle Rays and Black-tipped Sharks can be seen on the southern beach (no swimming) White-tipped Sharks are present close to shore at both beaches. • Swim with colorful fish, sea lions and Galapagos Penguins, as well as swim and snorkel around Pinnacle Rock. *nesting season is from January to March.
Daphne Islands The Daphnes include two islands, Daphne Major and Daphne Minor, just north of Santa Cruz. Access to Daphne Major is restricted by the Galapagos National Park, and it may only be visited with a special permit. There is no visitor site on Daphne Minor.
Wildlife Highlights: • Nazca boobies, red-billed tropicbirds, & blue-footed boobies can be found nesting here • See sea lions, sea turtles, Eagle Rays, and various species of sharks at the Daphne Major dive site. • At Daphne Minor’s dive site observe the large quantity of benthic organisms that live on the underwater walls of the island, all of which create a multi-coloured aspect to the undersea world • Sea horses can be seen around the black corals and Galapagos Sharks and sometimes rays and sea turtles are present.
Darwin Island Darwin Island is inhabited only by sea birds and is rarely visited by tourists other than master divers. There is no terrestrial visitor site on the island., however A small islet off the southeast coast of Darwin Island, Darwin Arch is one of the best dive sites in the archipelago.
Wildlife Highlights: • Whale sharks and large schools of Hammerhead Sharks frequent the waters around Darwin Island • See sea turtles, manta rays, dolphins, large schools of pelagic fish species, and other species of sharks.
Espanola One of the oldest and most isolated Galapagos Islands, the sheer variety of wildlife found here make its two visitors sites among the most popular in the archipelago. Punta Suarez has an amazing variety and quantity of wildlife with a highlight being the Waved Albatross breeding colony.
Wildlife Highlights: • See the Española mockingbird, the waved albatross, three species of Darwin’s finches, and Galapagos Doves • Sea lions may greet visitors at the rocky landing site along with Española lava lizards • Brightly-coloured red and green marine iguanas can be found lining the coast • Witness nesting colonies of Blue-footed and Nazca boobies, along the western cliffs Swallow-tailed Gulls and Red-billed Tropicbirds dash in and out of the cracks in the cliffs. • Nearly 1,500 young tortoises have been repatriated to Española. following a highly successful breading programme • Watch out for the occasional massive Manta Ray or Spotted-Eagle Ray
Fernandina The westernmost island in the Galapagos Islands, Fernandina is the third largest and youngest of the islands at less than one million years old. Sitting at the centre of the ‘hotspot’ that created the Galapagop Islands, it is unsurprisingly the most volcanically active
Wildlife Highlights: • • • •
Marine Iguanas and Flightless Cormorants Other attractions include penguins, sea lions, Sally Lightfoot Crabs, and occasionally Galapagos Hawks and land iguanas. The Punta Espinosa dive site is great for those looking to observe Flightless Cormorants and Galapagos Penguins, sea horses, marine iguanas, sea turtles, and various species of sharks and rays
Floreana As the island most altered by humans and invasive feral goats, Floreana none-the-less boasts a whole host of animal attractions.
Wildlife Highlights: • The volcanic crater, Devil’s Crown is home to an oasis of coral reefs attracting marine species such as playful sea lions, colorful King Angel Fish, Balloon Fish, hawkfish, Yellowtail grunts, Tiger Snake Eels, White-tipped Sharks, Eagle Rays, amberjacks, wrasses, Hammerhead Sharks, and sea turtles! • Devil’s Crown is also a haven for seabirds such as boobies, pelicans, and frigatebirds as well as Red-billed Tropicbirds. • Four islets to the east and southeast of Floreana (Enderby, Champion, Watson, and Gardner Islets) provide good opportunities for viewing sea turtles, and sea lions.
Genovesa Affectionately known as ‘The Bird Island’ and for obvious reason! Witness numerous bird species at the island’s two visitor sites, including Red-footed boobies, and the marine iguana - the only repitle on Genovesa.
Wildlife Highlights: • Frigatebirds, Nazca and Red-footed Boobies, Swallow-tailed Gulls, storm petrels, Red-billed Tropicbirds, finches, and mockingbirds, among other bird species. The marine iguanas found along the shoreline here are the smallest in the archipelago. • See pairs of Swallow-tailed Gulls—the only nocturnal gull species in the world, Lava Gulls, Yellow-crowned and Lava Herons. • Great Frigatebirds and Red-footed Boobies inhabit Palo Santo trees, Opuntia cacti, and Saltbushes.
Isabella The beach and lagoons near Villamil are the best sites in the archipelago to view migratory birds. Black-necked stilts and flamingoes are two of the most common resident species.
Wildlife Highlights: • Look out for ‘feeding frenzies’, by groups of whales, dolphins, sea lions, tunas, blue-footed and Nazcaw boobies, pelicans and other marine birds • A small colony of fur seals live south of the Cove. • Seven dive sites are located around Isabela including the Four Brothers, Tortuga Island, Urbina Bay, Tagus Cove, Punta Vicente Roca (strictly by water/scuba), Roca Redondo, and Cape Marshall. Here, you can see various species of sharks, sea lions, sting rays, moray eels, sea turtles, cormorants, penguins, manta rays, and many other species. • On Roca Redondo, a small island to the north of Isabela, many shark species can be seen, as well as gas fumeroles. • Tagus Cove provides viewing of sea horses, sponges, corals, and other species. • The largest tortoise population in Galapagos lives on and in Alcedo Volcano.
Marchena The largest of the northern islands, Marchena is rarely visited by anyone, including scientists or park wardens. There are two Marine Visitor Sites off the coast however - Punta Espejo and Punta Mejía.
Wildlife Highlights: • On the southwest coast there is a large series of grottos and coves that are frequented by fur seals. • See sharks including Hammerhead and Galapagos sharks at Punta Espejo • Dolphins and sea lions can also be found here, along with sea turtles, rays, Moray Eels, and Garden Eels, among others • Punta Mejía, on the southwestern side of the island, is home to rays, eels, and many fish species.
North Seymour The trail on North Seymour includes a short loop or an alternative longer loop, providing visitors with ample opportunity to observe the largest colony of magnificent frigatebirds in Galapagos, blue-footed boobies, and land iguanas, as well as sea lions and marine iguanas along the coast.
Wildlife Highlights: • North Seymour is home to nearly 2,500 land iguanas • See large populations of blue-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, common noddies, and frigatebirds. • The small, flat, sandy islet of Mosquera has the largest populations of sea lions and its sandy expanses offer visitors the perfect opportunity to observe sea lion behavior. • There are three dive sites around North Seymour,, all of which providing good opportunities to observe sea lions, large schools of fishes, some sharks, rays, and sea turtles
Pinta
Until the mid-19th century, Pinta was home to thousands of giant Pinta ‘saddleback’ tortoises. It was also home to Lonesome George, perhaps the most famous tortoise in the world! There are no land visitor sites on Pinta, and Punta Neros is the only site near the island that can be visited.
Wildlife Highlights: • Look out for Swallow-tailed Gulls, Galapagos Hawks, fur seals, and a number of other unique bird, reptile, and plant species. • Marine Iguanas • Highlights include the Red-lipped Batfish areas with a sandy substrate, sea lions, sea turtles, pelagic fish species, and Moray Eels.
Rabida
Rábida is one of the best places for visitors to see pelicans nesting up close. The island has one terrestrial visitor site on the northern coast.
Wildlife Highlights: • Marine iguanas and sea lions • Brown Pelicans, Blue-footed and Nazca Boobies • Flamingos breed and feed in the saltwater lagoon behind the beach. Pintail Ducks and Common Stilts are also frequently seen feeding in the lagoon. • Observe land birds such as finches, Galapagos Doves, Yellow Warblers, and mockingbirds, as well as the occasional snake. Marine Site • Around the northern tip of the island divers can observe sea lions, sea turtles, Eagle Rays, Garden Eels, and occasionally sharks and penguins. There is also a small colony of fur seals.
San Cristobal Many of the species endemic to San Cristóbal including the giant tortoise, lava lizard, gecko, and mockingbird.
Wildlife Highlights: • A large number of sea lions rest in the sand and rocks along the coast. In addition to sea lions, birds such as Yellow Warblers, frigatebirds, and numerous species of finches can be seen. • Magnificent Frigate Birds and Great Frigate Birds in the same colony on Frigatebird Hill - the perfect place to learn to distinguish them from eachother. • The Isla Lobos islet (visitor site) is a one-hour boat ride from San Cristóbal and is a seasonal nesting location for blue-footed boobies. Calm and scenic, it is a great place for snorkeling • The visit to the Tortoise Reserve is an excellent way to view giant tortoises in their natural habitat.
Santa Cruz
Santa Cruiz is teeming with a variety of life and geology. With mist-covered forests, coves and tortoise reserves, Santa Cruz possesses all of the various life zones present in the archipelago.
Wildlife Highlights: • From the bright red feathers of a Vermilion Flycatcher or one of Darwin’s finches almost every land bird present in the islands can be found here. • Explore Black Turtle Cove on a dinghy ride, and look out for Sea turtles and three species of sharks – the black-finned reef shark, the white-tipped reef shark, and the Galapagos shark. • Groups of spotted rays are also often seen – as are egrets and lava herons.
Santa Fe
Home to the Santa Fe Land Iguana (Conolophus pallidus) and the Santa Fe Rice Rat (Oryzomys bauri), Santa Fe is also the site of the longest-running marine iguana research project. There is a single visitor site on land and three marine sites around the island.
Wildlife Highlights: • • • • •
The land iguana population was recently estimated to be 6,500-7,000 Large numbers of sea lions are found on the beaches of Barrington Bay At the three dive sites, sea lions are the main attraction at all three sites Occasional sightings of sea turtles and various species of rays. Galapagos sharks can often seen at the East Coast (Costa Este).
Wolf
Inhabited only by sea birds, Wolf is rarely visited by tourists with the main attraction being the dive site known as El Derrumbe. It is well-known among divers for its diverse and abundant marine wildlife, particularly Hammerhead and Galapagos Sharks, and the occasional whale shark.
Wildlife Highlights: • • • •
Great Spotted Whale Shark, various species of whales, and Hammerhead, White-tipped, and Galapagos Sharks are often seen The vampire finch is perhaps the most famous seabird inhabiting the island Sea turtles, Manta Rays, other types of rays, and many species of fish.
When to Go... Whilst there are many wildlife wonders to be seen in the Galapagos all year round, if you are hoping to spot a specific species or would like to catch nesting or mating seasons for example, it pays to pick your time of visit carefully.
Weather
There are two main seasons in the Galapagos... June - November is ‘cool & dry’; while December - June is ‘warm but wet’ - thankfully ‘wet’ usually only means short, sharp showers however!
For great diving opportunities... Fans of scuba diving and snorkelling are best to visit between December and June when the seas are calmer, the waters are warmer, and most importantly, visibility is much better for spieing all of those colourful underwater creatures and fishes!
For beach bods... As you can imagine, the warm season is once again the best time to visit the Galapagos if you are hoping to make the most of your time on the beach - whether soaking up some sunshine or spending your time wildlife spotting along the shores.
For Green Turtle nesting season... Visit the Galapagos in the new year (between January and May) when green turtles lay their eggs and the rain is reduced to a managable daily drizzle.
For breeding / nesting season... The majority of the turtles tortoises and sea lions, along with many land birds breed or nest between February and April.
For Blue-footed Boobies... Matiing season for blue-footed boobies is during July. Head to Genovesa island to catch a glimpse!
For Giant Tortoises... Hatching season begins in December for gian tortoises during the dry but cool weather.
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