Welcome to the Galapagos Islands!

Let’s take a look around!

The Galapagos Islands are around 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, right smack bang in the middle of the equator in the Pacific Ocean. The 19 islands and marine reserve are one large national park and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve stretching over 17,000 square miles of ocean. With three ocean currents, ongoing seismic activity and extreme isolation it has led to some very unusual animals!

The islands are formed by lava piles and active shield volcanoes. From cactus forests to dense underbrush and tropical rainforest and lava fields, this really is a diverse ecosystem.

The islands can be seen as a showcase of evolution as many species of animals can only be found here. These endemic species have been able to develop in isolation on the largely uninhabited islands. There are a lack of natural predators so the wildlife on the Galapagos Islands have little fear of humans.

A large percentage of species are found nowhere else on the planet:

• 20% of marine life
• 97% of reptiles and land mammals
• 30% of plants

5 cool facts

1. It’s all in a name

The term Galapago comes from an old Castilian word which means ‘riding saddle’ due to the shell of the famous residents of the Islands - the giant tortoises.

2. What a blast!

The Galapagos Islands are made up of 19 islands. But due to lots of volcanic activity new islands could be forming right now! The islands were created by three tectonic plates, the Pacific, Cocos and Nazca.

3. Fun in the sun

Due to its location on the equator the Galapagos Islands see around 12 hours of sunlight every day all throughout the year.

4. Origin of the Species

Due to Darwin’s trip to the Galapagos Islands in the 1830s, he conceived his seminal work, The Theory of Evolution.

5. The most unusual post box

A simple wooden barrel is the Island’s post box! The tourists become mail couriers as they sort through the mail and hand-deliver letters or parcels to people who live near them!

6 residents of the Galapagos Islands

1. Boobies!

The Galapagos islands are home to not just one type of boobie but three! Red-footed, blue-footed and Nazca boobies call this their home. They get their name from the Spanish word “bobo” which in Spanish means silly!

2. Itsy bitsy teeny weeny penguin

The second smallest penguin in the world. These little pint sized cuties only live on the Galapagos Islands and have developed to manage the tropical climate! They lean forward to protect their feet from the sun and also spend a lot of time in the water.

3. Rising your head above it all

Probably the most famous resident of the Galapagos Islands has to be the Galapagos Giant tortoise. They are huge! The largest one was recorded to be almost 6 feet long and weighed 919 pounds! Woah!

When the males choose to fight they simply glare at each other before raising their heads as high as they can. The one with the highest head wins and the loser walks away with his head back in his shell.

4. Foot long centipedes

Darwin’s Goliath Centipede is one of the largest centipedes and can grow up to a foot long. It’s so big it can prey on rats and small lizards with its large mandibles and venom.

5. Dancing crabs

The Sally Lightfoot crab may have been named after a Caribbean dancer and is known for its running, leaping and jumping. They have pointed legs to get a hold on the lava rocks and can even walk across water!

6. Bless you

Marine iguanas are endemic to the Galapagos Islands and the only marine lizard species in the world. It is thought they evolved from land iguanas and adapted to island life to survive. They ‘sneeze out’ excess salt that accumulates in their body.

Did you know turtles have the ability to understand puns?

I wish they would have tortoise that in school.

What issues face the Galapagos Islands?

Invasive Species

One of the biggest threats to the Galapagos Islands is the introduction of invasive species by humans. This includes animals and plants which will then try and out-compete with native species and negatively impact the Island’s habitats. From cats to pigs and goats, they are often introduced by accident and can be difficult to remove! Sadly native populations have declined as a result leaving many of them critically endangered.

You’ve ‘goat’ to be kidding me!

One of the most destructive animals introduced has been the goat! They were bought in as a source of meat but they are hardly little things and consume a lot of foods that the giant tortoises and iguanas need. Goats are very capable of turning a low-lying island into a barren desert very quickly.

Since the 1960s a goat eradication programme took place to rid the Santa Fe Island of goats. This has been successful and the plant life has recovered as well as rice rats and land iguanas now thriving.

Overfishing

Overfishing has led to a destruction of not only marine life but the majority of coral reefs. The Islands are home to some of the highest concentrations of sharks in the world, so sadly it attracts a lot of illegal fishing. In particular this is fuelled by the high appetite in Asia for shark fin soup.

Tourism

Around 30,000 people live across the Galapagos Islands and tourism is huge with 170,000 tourists visiting the Islands each year. Although numerous measures have been put in place including limiting the numbers allowed, there have sadly been negative changes due to the impact of tourism. From decreased fauna and trampling of paths, to waste needing disposal.

Positive News

1. Leonardo DiCaprio’s $43 million pledge

A coalition of groups backed by DiCaprio have pledged $43 million to restore degraded habitats in the Galapagos Islands. The aims are to help restore an island degraded by human activity, increase numbers of the pink iguana and further protect the marine reserves.

2. Drones help get rid of rats!

Rats have been fully eradicated from two of the Islands after drones were fitted with ‘conservation bait’. This means endemic and native plants and animals can be more confident of long-term survival.

3. It’s alive!

Despite thinking that a species of giant tortoise had died out over a century prior, a single female was discovered a couple of years ago. This centenarian tortoise is now in a breeding programme on the island.

What can you do to help?

There are some amazing charities worth looking at that are doing incredible work in the Galapagos Islands. Learn more and think about donating to an excellent cause. Here are our top three!

1. Galapagos Conservation TrustGalapagos Conservation Trust

Supporting impactful science and conservation programmes.

2. Galapagos ConservancyGalapagos Conservancy

Supporting research and management, informing public policy and building a sustainable society.

3. Charles Darwin FoundationCharles Darwin Foundation

International non-profit dedicated to scientific research.

Positive impacts with Earth Cubs

1. FREE APP! Play our app and teach your kids to love our amazing planet
2. TEACHING RESOURCES! Extensive curriculum linked resources supporting teachers and schools to bring sustainability into the classroom. Galapagos Islands coming soon!