Pristine clear water in endless
shades of blue and rugged rocks shaped by centuries of wind erosion and
volcanic explosion, will be some of my lasting memories from our recent trip to
Galapagos Islands.
Arriving from Australia into Baltra,
the main airport of Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands requires desire & fortitude
– though undoubtedly its isolation is one of the main reasons that hundreds of
endemic species of animals and plants still survive today. This group of 21
islands, 906km from mainland of Ecuador, and slightly north of the Equator are beautiful
for their ruggedness, isolation and exceptional diversity of animal and plant life.
One of the first things we were
struck by is how unconcerned that any of the animal or marine life are of the human
intrusion. With the exclusion of the Giant Galapagos Tortoise, humans are
relatively new to these islands, so the animals do not consider us a natural
predator. This resulted in us being able to get to within a few metres of these
beautiful creatures. Observing them in their natural habitat, at close range is
one of the truly amazing experiences of visiting the Galapagos.
We watched the male Blue Footed
Boobie bird perform his mating dance – parading his feathers in full glory
whilst lifting his feet in a rhythmic movement. The vibrant blue feet of this
bird is derived from the carotenoid pigments which they get through their diet.
Interestingly, studies have showed that a male with more concentration of blue
in their feet have a better chance of securing a mate! Another spectacular bird
is the Great Frigate whose vibrant red gular sac distends during mating season
in order to impress a mate - and it is seriously impressive! The array of
Iguanas we saw was extensive – the large land Iguanas with a variety of
colours, and the black sea swimming marine Iguanas.
Another spectacular animal
was the Galapagos Giant Tortoise – it can live up to approximately 180 years
and weigh 250kgs! Once considered endangered due to the sailors capturing them
for their food on board, they are once again thriving in an environment which
protects them.
Galapagos Islands are inherently
linked to Charles Darwin’s 1835 visit on the survey ship named “The Beagle”.
His observations and drawings during his time on the island became the basis of
his “Origin of the Species” book (published 1859) where he realised that
transmutation of species explained the mechanism that underlies evolutionary
change. The naturalists aboard our Silverseas ship were an excellent source of
knowledge in this regard, and our week aboard this ship piqued our interest to
gain a greater understanding of this beautiful group of islands.
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| The Male Great Frigate bird resting in its nest |
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| The Red Footed Boobie Bird |
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| The Land Iguana |
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| The Nazca Bird protecting its new chick |
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| Blue Footed Boobie Bird |
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| Male Blue Footed Boobie performing his mating dance |
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| Nazca Bird feeding its new chick |
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| Flamingo Bird |
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| Marine Iguana |
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| Giant Galapogos Tortoise |
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| Sea Lions resting on San Cristobel Island |
