Galapagos Wildlife

Galapagos is home to unique birds and animals including the Galapagos Penguin, Flightless Cormorant, 14 types of Finches and the Giant Tortoise. The Spanish named the islands after finding so many tortoise there… Galapagos means tortoise in Spanish.

Scientists think that the Giant Tortoise’s ability to survive months without food or water made it possible for these animals to survive the 1000km sea journey thousands of years ago.

Once on the Galapagos Islands the tortoise became the dominate grazer; an ecological position taken by large mammals everywhere else on earth. The tortoise evolved into distinct species on each island – and on the island of Isabela, multiple species on the same island where each live in different environments.

For some remarkable images of these animals, check out Arkive, a non-profit, wildlife conservation website.

A trip to the Galapagos Islands is an adventure unparalleled. The plant and animal life here are so unique that Charles Darwin credited his development of the theory of evolution mostly to his time on the Galapagos.

The Galapagos are also home to the Marine Iguana which is the only sea going Iguana in the world. To survive in these stark volcanic islands these iguana have taken to the ocean to feed on underwater algae.