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species include dark-rumped petrel,
Galapagos flightless cormorant,
Galapagos penguin, lava gull, Flore-
ana mockingbird, Galapagos hawk,
lava heron, nocturnal swallow-tailed
gull, Galapagos rail, thick-billed
flycatcher, Galapagos martin and
Galapagos dove. The native mam-
malian fauna includes six species:
Galapagos fur seal, Galapagos sea
lion, two species of rice rat, bat and
hoary bat. Marine fauna includes
several species of sharks, rays and
Cetaceans. Green turtle and hawks-
bill turtle are common in surrounding
waters, with the former nesting on
sandy beaches.
History
In the fall of 1835, the Galapagos
Islands’ most famous visitor, Charles
Darwin, arrived on the H.M.S.
Beagle and began collecting and
observing the archipelago’s unique
animal and plant life. At the time,
Darwin did not fully appreciate
what he was seeing. Only after he
returned home to England did the
scientist begin to formulate his
theory of evolution.
Though the name
Darwin is insepa-
rable from the islands’ history, they
were actually discovered in 1535 by
a Spanish bishop named Fray Tomas
de Berlanga, who named the island
Galapagos after the impressive giant
tortoises.
Much of the same flora and fauna
that inspired Darwin’s The Origin of
Species still thrives on the Galapa-
gos today. Appropriately, ninety-sev-
en percent of the island is national
park. The legendary marine and
land iguanas, the giant tortoises,
and seal colonies of the Galapagos
are among nature’s most fantastic be-
ings. Visitors will gasp at these stun-
ning animals, all of which are highly
approachable, as their isolated
evolution has not conditioned them
to fear humans. Iguanas and tortois-
es bask in the sun like bored movie
stars, feet away from the photo-snap-
ping Homo Sapiens. Though their
indifference may make the animals
seem humorously aloof, their very
ignorance makes them vulnerable. A
few bad
experiences with humans can alter
their behavior irrevocably and turn
them reclusive. Respect their natural
hospitality and keep your hands to
yourself.
The Galapagos also offer some of
the world’s best scuba diving. Dive
boats that tour the islands can be
reserved on the mainland. Devil’s
Crown, an atoll near Floreana
Island, is a submarine wonderland
that should not be missed. The shal-
lows of this sunken volcano are bur-
geoning with an incredible myriad of
corals and fish. Giant tortoises hover
over the reef like living balloons,
and sharks can sometimes be found,
harmless and asleep on the sandy
bottom.
The flight from Guayaquil takes
about an hour and a half, and
visitors can land on either Baltra or
San Cristobal. Upon reaching the
Galapagos, the only way to tour the
islands is to do it the way Darwin
did, by boat. Due to the biologi-
cally sensitive nature of the islands,
trips ashore must be taken in the
presence of a licensed guide.
They come with the boat.