The unique wildlife of the Galapagos Islands has been commented upon for centuries. Only areas with existing settlements where excluded. The first protective legislation for this area occurred in the mid-1930s. If you plan a trip to the Galapagos, youll discover that many guides to the islands wildlife are available.
In 1986, about forty thousand square miles of ocean around the Galapagos islands was declared as a marine reserve. The very endangered Galapagos Green Turtle is also a native of the islands, and is thought to be a subspecies of the Pacific Green Turtle. In addition to these specific birds, there are also four species of unique mockingbirds, the first animals that Darwin noticed were different on different islands. No passport yet, you can get one right in the comfort of your home on your Personal Travel Website, easy and convenient.
Make sure you have a passport and start making your reservations for your trip to this wonderland of pleasure. I own eight of them and recommend Birds, Mammals Reptiles of the Galapagos Islands, 2nd ed. At a glance it suggests a green heron, an endemic species found only on the Galapagos. Galapagos Island wildlife includes many unique species that can be found nowhere else in the world.
The Galapagos hawk is the islands main scavenger and preys on small animals. The best time to visit the islands is between January and May when it is basically described a tropical, which means it has hot temperatures, blue sky and occasional but brief downpours. Many visitors, including me, arrive with a mental list of species they hope to see. The Waved Albatross is the world\’s only tropical albatross, and is also native to the Galapagos Islands.
So to sum Ecuador up, you are in for a breathtaking encounter like cannot be found anywhere else in the world. On this trip I checked off every species on my list. On our final day, we visited Santa Cruz Island, where we focused on the giant Galapagos tortoises. In 1959, which was the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Darwin\’s Origin of Species, almost all of the land in the archipelago was declared to be a national park.
The Great Frigatebird and Magnificent Frigatebird are popular Galapagos wildlife known for their displays, as is the Blue Footed Booby. Galapagos Islands have been labeled as the \”Garden of Eden\” and nothing short of spectacular. It\’s one of the smallest penguins in the world, and the only one to live in equatorial waters. The archipelago was declared to be a whale sanctuary in 1990.
A cruise of the Galapagos Islands takes on a life of its own. This is one of the true paradises of the world, rain forests, unique cultures, volcanic landscapes and natural beauty abounds. In the Amazon river there are islands as big as Switzerland, otters as big as men and at a certain point you can be in the middle and see neither shore, everything is bigger and more spectacular on the Amazon river. This is where you will find condors, glaciated volcanoes, Indian markets, haciendas, cloud forests, Incan ruins and high altitude grasslands.
This is a definite outdoor lovers delight. As my group gathered to begin the hike, a Galapagos hawk (E) sailed in and perched on a nearby tower and several Hood mockingbirds (E) perched conspicuously in nearby vegetation. Closely related to the California Sea Lion is the Galapagos Sea Lion, which hunts and lives in the waters around the islands, which are also home to the rare Galapagos Fur Seal. Only the Great Barrier Reef in Australia is larger.
Each day is a series of highlights that satisfy even the most expectant traveler. The Amazon is the worlds largest remaining tropical rain forest. There is scuba diving for the beginner and the most experienced, hiking up to the top of the world\’s highest active volcano, exotic bird watching in breathtaking cloud forests. Examples include the Galapagos Land Iguana, the Galapagos Marine Iguana (the only ocean going iguana), and the Galapagos Tortoise.
That makes it the second largest marine reserve in the world. For about 30 minutes, we traversed a rocky trail and encountered a Galapagos hawk nesting atop a large boulder, Galapagos flycatchers (E), many small and colorful lava lizards (E), and three of the 13 species (all endemic) of Darwins finches. Of course, there is the Amazon jungle and it one the worlds most awe inspiring natural wonders. The Galapagos Penguin also lives in the islands.
