The Galápagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands west of Ecuador in South America, in the Pacific Ocean. The islands are a province of Ecuador and are a part of its national park system. Famous for the numerous endemic species found on them, the Galápagos Islands also offered inspiration to Charles Darwin whose studies of the islands contributed to his famous 'evolution by natural selection' theory.
Famous for its natural beauty and biodiversity, the archipelago was named after one of the most unique animals found on it, the Galápagos Tortoise. 'Galápago' is an old Spanish word which means saddle and the shell of the tortoise resembles an old Spanish saddle, hence the name.
The group consists of thirteen islands many of which are still being formed from volcanic eruptions in the Pacific Ocean. This is taking place because the archipelago lies atop the Galápagos hotspot, a place where the earth's crust is being melted from below by a mantle plume. In May this year, the island of Isabela saw volcanic activity after a period of ten years.
The biodiversity in all the islands is so rich that you might spot animals that don't exist anywhere else on the planet. For instance the vampire finch which feeds on the blood of red- footed boobies and the Galápagos tortoises can be found only on these islands. If you visit Wolf Island you will get to see fur seals, marine iguanas, sharks, whales and dolphins while Santa Cruz Island is the headquarters of the Galápagos National Park Service and also houses the Charles Darwin Research Institute. Both these organisations operate a tortoise breeding center here. The Highlands of Santa Cruz have a vibrant vegetation and are famous for their lava tunnels. Large tortoise populations are found here. Black Turtle Cove is a site on the island that is surrounded by mangroves frequented by sea turtles, rays and small sharks that sometimes use it as a mating area. Cerro Dragón is another such site on the island, known for its flamingo lagoon.
For a complete understanding of the unique qualities of each island click here.
Pic courtesy Richard Pluck from flickr.com
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