Fauna Of The Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos – Islands are a very special place on our planet. This is not only due to their geological formation , but also to the animals that live on them.
Since the Galapagos – Islands are inhabited only by a few people and far away are middle of the ocean, its fauna is unique.
Brief information about the Galapagos Islands
It is a collection of islands in the Pacific Ocean, almost 1,000 km off the coast of Ecuador. Administratively, they belong to this country, which has made it its goal to protect and preserve life on these islands.
The Galapagos consists of 19 islands of various sizes, more than 200 uninhabited rocky islands and smaller rocks. There are people who live firmly on the islands. The last census came up with around 25,000 inhabitants.
However, the islands are visited by almost 200,000 tourists annually .
The fauna of the Galapagos: turtles
When you mention the Galapagos Islands, the first thing that comes to mind is turtles and reptiles. In fact, the Galapagos tortoise (walking across our featured picture) was named after the islands.
This species consists of 14 different subspecies, four of which are extinct. Sadly, the case of the lonely George, the last of his species, became known worldwide. He lived on the island until he was almost 100 years old and then passed away.
But there are not only tortoises, also water turtles cavort around the islands. The Galapagos sea turtle is a subspecies of the green turtle and lives in the waters of the Pacific Ocean. She comes back to the island to lay her eggs.
Other reptiles and unique iguanas
Another example of the unique fauna of the Galapagos Islands are the marine iguanas. It is the only lizard in the world that feeds on the ocean because it eats algae.
However, only the largest, male specimens can swim. Females and juveniles splash around and wait for the tide to come down to look for food.
The largest specimens are almost half a meter long and can weigh up to 15 kg. Due to their diet, they take in a lot of salt. To get rid of this, they expel salt crystals through a gland in their noses.
When they are not looking for food, they behave very similarly to other iguanas and lizards. They rest in the sun to warm up.
Their skin is black, so it is easier for them than other reptiles to absorb the heat.
Birds: not all are sea birds
The majority of the Galapagos Islands’ native species are birds. There are many different species: penguins, finches, cormorants, seagulls, owls, pelicans …
The Galapagos penguin is the only one in his family who does not live north of the equator. He is one of the smallest species of penguin, weighing just two and a half kilos. They are black and have a white belly.
13 different species of finches also live in this very special place. The best known is the pointed-billed ground finch, also known as the vampire finch. This is because it feeds on the blood of other birds.
Physically, all members of this family are similar. The main difference is found in the beak. It can have different shapes and sizes, depending on what the animal feeds on.
The stubby cormorant is the only subspecies of its species that has lost its ability to fly. Like all cormorants, he dives to fish for food and is a great swimmer.
However, its wings are too small to carry it through the air. So he better uses them for diving.
A native species of owl also lives on the Galapagos Islands . This owl, like so many other animal species on the islands, does not depend on the sea for food. She mainly hunts other birds, even those that are larger than her.
Unlike mainland owls , they hunt during the day and not at night.
The smallest reptiles: lava lizards
Many species of reptiles are part of the fauna of the Galapagos Islands. The lava lizards are among the smallest. These reptiles grow up to 25 cm long, with the males being up to 3 times as long as the females.
They eat insects and both their behavior and habitat are similar to that of other lizards in the world. In the lowlands they also live in overgrown areas, where they can easily hide but at the same time there is enough sunlight to warm up.
Through thousands of years of isolation, a unique fauna has developed in the Galapagos Islands. Thanks to the efforts and protection measures, they are considered a reserve and refuge for hundreds of animal species.
