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About My Travels Galapagos Islands

Galapagos Islands

A visit to the Galapagos Islands is an amazing experience. Here are a few pictures from our recent trip. Some of the wildlife on the Galapagos are found nowhere else in the world, and vary even from island to island within the Galapagos area. For instance one type of iguana are found on one island, and not on others. The huge tortoise that has been found to live over 100 years, are found on one island and not on others.

The Galápagos Islands

a volcanic archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, is a province of Ecuador, lying about 1,000km off its coast, and considered one of the world’s foremost destinations for wildlife-viewing. Its isolated terrain shelters a diversity of plant and animal species, many found nowhere else. Charles Darwin visited in 1835, and his observation of Galápagos’ species later inspired his theory of evolution.

The Finches : Darwin’s finches

Darwin’s finches
Bird
Darwin’s finches are a group of about fifteen species of passerine birds. They are often classified as the subfamily Geospizinae or tribe Geospizini. They belong to the tanager family and are not closely related to the true finches. Wikipedia

Kicker Rock (a.k.a. Leon Dormido), a vertical tuff cone formation that juts up nearly 500 feet from the sea.
The view from the summit of Bartolome Island
Area: 17,375 mi²
Population: 25,000 (2010)
Capital: Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Geologic History

Galapagos is located on the Nazca tectonic plate. This perpetually moving plate is heading eastward over the Galapagos hot spot and has formed the chain of islands. The islands were formed through the layering and lifting of repeated volcanic action. This geographic movement is correlated to the age of the islands, as the eastern islands (San Cristóbal and Española) are millions of years older than the western islands (Isabela and Fernandina).

Most of the islands have a distinctive conical shape that is often associated with volcanic action. The mountainous islands have been formed through continuing eruption, building layer upon layer. Due to this volcanic formation, the islands are characterized by many steep slopes, with heights ranging from a few meters above sea level to more than 5000 feet above sea level.

Each major island, with the exception of the largest island, Isabela, consists of a single large volcano. Isabela was formed when six volcanoes joined above sea level. Geologically, the Galapagos Islands are quite young, probably no more than five million years old. Some of the westernmost islands, which are the most volcanically active, may only be hundreds of thousands of years old and are still being formed today.

www.galapagos.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galápagos_Islands

Geologic History

Blue-Footed Boobies
Blue Footed Boobie and a chick
Frigate male
Frigate Male with inflated Gular
Male Frigate with mate
Male Frigate with mate

Galapagos Penguins see on Galapagos
Galapagos-Penguins

Land Iguana seen on a Galapagos IslandYellow Galapagos bird on a Galapagos Island
Male Frigate with mate seen on a Galapagos Island
Male Frigate with mate
Nasca Boobies seen on a Galapagos Island
Nasca Boobies
Sally Lightfoot Galapagos Island
Sally Lightfoot

Sea Lion babies seen on a galapagos Island
Sea-Lion-babies
Blue-Footed Boobies on a Galapagos Island
Blue Footed Boobie and a chick
Land Iguana on  a Galapagos Island
Land-Iguana[/caption

]view on San Cristóbal Island a Galapagos Island

[caption id="attachment_4671" align="alignright" width="300"]Baby-Nasca-Boobie Baby-Nasca-Boobie

Blue Footed Boobie
Blue-Footed Boobie head

male-Frigate bird

Frigate-Wings-up
Frigate-Wings-up
Frigate-Wings-wide
Frigate-Wings-wide
Young-Frigate-bird
Young-Frigate-bird-trying-his-wings
Sea-Lion-baby
Sea-Lion-baby
Sea Lion babies
Sea-Lion-babies
Galapagos Sea iguna
Sea iguana on sand
Galapagos lava lizard
Red Faced lizard
Glalapagos Mocking bird
Mocking bird
Glalpagos Sea iguana
Sea iguana with a Blue back
Galapagos Lizard
Galapagos Lizard
Galapagos Sea Iguana
Sea Iguana

Pelican of Galagagos
Pelican of Galagagos
Galapagos Islands

Turtle

Turtle

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