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Wildlife
The Galapagos became famous after the visit of Charles Darwin in 1835. His ideas on evolution were prompted partly by what he saw there. He correctly surmised that these volcanic peaks were never connected to the mainland and so the animals and plants must have drifted out on rafts of vegetation or blown out there or evolved into a new species within the archipelago. They are home to a variety of unique creatures, dominated by reptiles, and also a haven to birds.
Plants
The arid, rocky coast has been colonised by desert-like plant life such as cacti, succulents and thorny shrubs. One of the cactus species, prickly pear, has grown into giant tree-like forms. As one goes inland the plants get denser and taller. The upper slopes of the bigger islands are covered in a dense jungle-like forest, even clinging to the sides of huge craters.
Reptiles
The hot dry climate is ideal for reptiles such as the giant tortoise, land iguanas, marine iguanas (the only marine lizards in the world). Before the arrival of man they proliferated and some species grew into unique giant forms. The islands are also a sanctuary for the Pacific green turtles, which lay their eggs on the islands’ beaches. Snakes can be found but are harmless.
Birds
Galapagos are home for many seabirds such as frigates, blue-footed, red-footed and Nazca boobies, the Galapagos penguin,
waved albatross and flightless cormorant. Though birds such as the albatross spend much of their life at sea, they return to Española island each year to breed. The boobies on the other hand can be seen breeding throughout the year on different islands, depending on the availability of food. The Galapagos penguin is the only penguin to breed in the tropics. The endemic cormorant is unique in being flightless.
On land the thirteen species of Darwin’s finches have famously evolved into many varieties that each have a unique diet and beak to match. Even the mockingbirds have split into four types. There are a couple of owl species and a hawk that is remarkable tame.
Along the shores and lagoons are both migrants like the sanderlings, and turnstones or residents like stilts, oystercatchers and flamingos.
Mammals
Most mammals are marine, such as the Galapagos sea lion and fur seal; several species of dolphins including the bottlenose and common dolphins; whales, including the sperm, humpback, false-killer, sei, minke, Bryde’s, Cuvier's beaked and blue whales. On land there are native rats, but these have been nearly wiped out by introduced kinds.
Fish
The underwater world is almost as unique as land. Notable fish include several species of rays and sharks, though it is safe to swim with them here. Though there are no coral reefs there are some corals growing and colourful reef fish can be seen like the king angel fish or parrotfish.
Shoreline creatures
Crustaceans include the colourful Sally lightfoot crab, the fiddler crab, ghost crab, hermit crab many urchins and sea-stars.
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