Galápagos Islands

Blue-footed booby

The Galápagos Islands is an archipelago of 17 volcanic islands, situated in the Pacific Ocean 600 miles to the west of Ecuador. They are noted for their unique animal and bird life which led the naturalist Charles Darwin to formulate his Theory of Natural Selection. The name Galápagos derives from the Spanish word for saddle, as the shape of some of the indigenous species of tortoise resembled a saddle.

Their remote location meant that the islands had few visitors and almost all of the animals exhibit no natural fear of man. However, a rising population, the presence of feral pigs and goats, and the pressures of mass tourism have begun to threaten the existence of some species. On April 10, 2007 Rafael Correa Delgado the President of Ecuador issued an emergency decree calling for sustainable development.

The Galápagos Islands are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Geology

The Galápagos Islands lie above a volcanic "hot spot" (similar to the Hawaiian Islands) where the Nazca and South American plates meet. The islands are essential the tip of giagantic shield volcano that rises up to 10000 ft above the ocean floor. As the plate moves eastwards, new volcanic cones are formed so that the eastern islands are much older and eroded than those to the west, which are still volcanically active.

Darwin's Finches

One of Darwin's finches

Another of Darwin's finches

Darwin collected many biological specimens during the Voyage of the Beagle (19831-1836), which included birds from the Galápagos Islands. These were presented to the Geological Society of London upon his return and the birds were handed to an ornithologist for classification. From the differences in the shapes of their beaks Darwin had assumed they were different types of bird (blackbirds, grosbeaks, finches) but the ornithologist classifed them as being different species of ground finch. Darwin surmised that, with little competition from other birds, individual varieties had evolved to fill ecological niches to utilise a wider range of food sources. When his journal was published in 1843, he included this knowledge, which has misled many to think that he had developed his Theory of Natural Selection during his journey.

Creationists claim that the different types of finch interbreed and are therefore not different species

Tortoises

Santa Cruz giant tortoise

The larger Galápagos Islands are home to different types of giant tortoise. These were previously in great abundance but with no native predators they had no natural defence mechanisms other than their hard shell. They became an easy food source for passing sailors who took them in great numbers to provide fresh meat during their journey.

Marine iguana

Land iguana

Other Animals

The galapagos are home to two species of large iguana. The marine iguanas are unique in being the only aquatic lizard and feed on seaweed. They have developed mechanisms to help them cope with the salt water and can frequently be observed snorting salt from their nostrils.

Masked boobies

A juvenile Galápagos hawk

Birds

Although the Galápagos Islands lie just below the equator, a deep cold-water upwelling makes the waters around the islands extremely rich in sea-life. This provides a valuable food source for a wide range of sea birds. These include several species of boobies (blue-footed, red-footed and masked), waved albatross, frigate birds, lava herons and the most northerly species of penguin. Inland lagoons support a colony of pink flamingoes. The Galápagos hawk is one of a few raptors that live on the islands.