Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Galapagos Islands, the history and wildlife

The Galápagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands distributed on either side of the Equator in the Pacific Ocean, 926 km (575 mi) west of continental Ecuador, of which they are a part. The Galápagos Islands and their surrounding waters form an Ecuadorian province, a national park, and a biological marine reserve. The principal language on the islands is Spanish. The islands have a population of slightly over 25,000.The first English captain to visit the Galápagos Islands was Richard Hawkins, in 1593. Until the early 19th century, the archipelago was often used as a hideout by mostly English pirates who pilfered Spanish galleons carrying gold and silver from South America to Spain.The islands are famed for their vast number of endemic species and were studied by Charles Darwin during the voyage of the Beagle. His observations and collections contributed to the inception of Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection.The first recorded visit to the islands happened by chance in 1535, when the Bishop of Panamá Fray Tomás de Berlanga went to Peru to arbitrate in a dispute between Francisco Pizarro and Diego de Almagro.European discovery of the Galápagos Islands occurred when Spaniard Fray Tomás de Berlanga, the fourth Bishop of Panama, sailed to Peru to settle a dispute between Francisco Pizarro and his lieutenants. De Berlanga’s vessel drifted off course when the winds diminished, and his party reached the islands on 10 March 1535. According to a 1952 study by Thor Heyerdahl and Arne Skjølsvold, remains of potsherds and other artifacts from several sites on the islands suggest visitation by South American peoples prior to the arrival of the Spanish.However, no remains of graves, ceremonial vessels and constructions have ever been found, suggesting no permanent settlement occurred at the time.heGalápagos Islands first appeared on the maps, of Gerardus Mercator and Abraham Ortelius, in about 1570. The islands were named “Insulae de los Galopegos” (Islands of the Tortoises) in reference to the giant tortoises found there.

14 unique animals of the Galapagos Islands

Magnificent frigatebird
Magnificent frigatebird with inflated red throat pouch
There are few birds easier to recognize than malemagnificent frigatebirds. They have a giant red throat pouch which makes for a bright, stunning display when fully inflated. It’s almost comical to see them puff up. Of course, the brighter the pouch, the more attractive they appear to females.Though magnificent frigatebirds are migratory birds found across the Atlantic Ocean and Central and South America, the colonies that inhabit the Galapagos are thought to be genetically distinct, not having bred with mainland counterparts for several hundred thousand years.
Galapagos tortoises
Galapagos tortoises
These giant tortoises are so iconic that the islands were named after them (“galapago” means “tortoise” in Spanish). They are the largest tortoises in the world and among the longest living vertebrates, with potential lifespans in excess of 170 years.In the absence of any major predators, adult tortoises evolved a docile demeanor, which unfortunately made them easy to exploit by early human settlers. It has been estimated that a population in excess of 250,000 once existed on the islands as recently as 200 years ago, but there are only about 15,000 alive today.The good news is that intense conservation efforts have been successful for most of the subspecies, and the islands’ tortoise populations are, for the most part, on the rebound.
Blue-footed boobies
Blue-footed boobies perform mating dance

The funny name almost matches these creatures’ funny look. Blue-footed boobies are most easily recognized by their signature feet. The birds’ mating ritual is also an entertaining affair, as males lift their feet up and down in a strutting display for the females.Interestingly, the blueness of their feet is also an indicator of a bird’s health, since the color comes from pigments obtained from a diet of freshfish.They are not found exclusively on the Galapagos Islands, but about half of the world’s population breeds there.
Galapagos penguin
Galapagos penguin
One of the smallest penguins in the world, the Galapagos penguin is also the only penguin in the world that lives north of the equator. It can only be found in the Galapagos.Like many species of penguin, these creatures form monogamous pair bonds and typically mate for life.
Sally Lightfoots
Sally Lightfoot crab

Though these colorful crabs can be found along most of the Pacific Coast of the Americas, the population in the Galapagos exhibit a distinctive behavior. They are often observed in symbiosis with the islands’ marine iguanas, cleaning ticks from the lizards’ skin.The beautiful, rainbow-like coloration of the Sally Lightfoots understandably makes them a popular target for photographers who visit the Galapagos.Marine iguana
Galapagos marine iguana
This incredibly unusual species of iguana is the only extant (or still existing) marine lizard on Earth. It likely evolved its marine lifestyle because of the sparsity of nutritious vegetation on land, opting instead for seaweed. To filter out the excess salt that it consumes, this iguana has specialized nasal glands that filter the salt and expel it from the nostrils.

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