Galapagos Islands -- A Feast for the Eyes

[Jean Dabrowski]

The Galapagos Islands, literally translated to mean the Island of Grand Tortoises is simply fascinating. Located just 1000 kilometers offshore from Ecuador and situated directly on the equator; it enjoys only two seasons but is home to several hundred species of animals. There is simply no place in the world as diverse in wildlife as these isles, as noted in the famous On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin.

Many animals that call the islands home today are thought to have floated there and then later evolved to be completely different species than their ancestors. There are hundreds of species of fish, several bird species, giant tortoises, and the famous flora and fauna plants. These islands are so closely weaved into the fiber of mankind that ninety-seven percent of the land service has been designated as a national park with even some of the surrounding sea being protected as a marine reserve.

So what can we share about these beautiful islands that you may not already know?

• There are 19 large islands and dozens of smaller ones but the largest part of the islands is under the sea!
• Tortoises can grow up to 6 feet long and as large as 700 lbs.
• This island had been discovered more than a couple of times before Ecuador finally claimed it as theirs.
• It is sometimes difficult to see the islands from short distances because of the mist that covers them sometimes due to the unusually cold water for that part of the ocean.
• There were no human inhabitants on the island but now some 30,000 people have settled there.
• All wildlife coexists in harmony; reptiles can even be found resting among seals.

Galapagos Islands is a nature lovers dream adventure and a feast for the eyes. Though not diverse in plant species as one would think, the land formations, cool weather, and animals found here make this a dream destination for travelers. Flightless cormorants and pink flamingos are only two examples of the vast differences one can experience from one animal to the next.

There is literally no other place on planet earth similar to the Galapagos Islands!