The islands are home to two resident dolphin species: the common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) and the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). The Galápagos fur seals have the lowest reproductive rate among all seal species. We found that if we were really quiet and stayed far enough away them, they would tolerate our presence. Once numbering over 250,000, their numbers declined to just under 3,000 in the 1970s. The marine iguana is currently classified as a Vulnerable species by the IUCN. This led to theories on transmutation of animals and eventually the theory of evolution. We’re working to support our habit. The hawk (Buteo galapagoensis) is an endemic bird species to the islands. The size of the hawk can range from 45 to 58 cm. The mating dance for the Nazca booby (Sula granti) involves the male and the female bobbing their heads beside each other. However, some reports of these lizards being carnivorous in nature also exist. They are an endangered species and are very rare to see with only about 1,500 penguins in the Galapagos Islands. About 80% of the land birds you will see, 97% of the reptiles and land mammals, and more than 30% of the plants are endemic. There are strict rules about approaching and interacting with wildlife in the Galapagos Islands. Climate change that would affect water temperatures and ocean currents could have a major negative impact on the penguins populations in the future. She had never seen a sea turtle in the wild. These small animals are usually found in the colder areas of the Galapagos, mainly on Fernandina Island and Isabela Island, and tend to live in caves or crevices.. One of the Galapagos Islands animals you will love seeing is the short-eared owl. The pink land iguana (Conolophus marthae) is one animal you are guaranteed not to see in the islands. Populations of Pacific seahorses are being aggressively harvested for Chinese medicines, but the species is still thriving here. If you ask most visitors, they would say that the animal they most want to see is the giant tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra). The Galapagos hawk is not completely free of danger. 10 Lava Lizard. The Galapagos tortoise is a herbivore that feeds on leaves, grass, cacti, oranges, milkweed, melons, etc. Once considered an endangered species, we saw lots of them on Fernandina Island and were extremely impressed with how quickly these birds could dive under the water. The reptiles have suffered a drastic population decline since the arrival of humans on the Galapagos. Since the 19th century, the Galapagos fur seals have suffered a dramatic decline in population. Galapagos Islands animals - an adventure A Galapagos penguin zips beneath me like a mini torpedo. The pink iguana is critically endangered and it is believed only 200 are left in existence. For obvious reasons, its the endemic species that people come to see! The land iguanas obtain most of the moisture from the prickly-pear cactus that constitutes 80% of the diet of these lizards. There were times when we had to literally step over animals to get where we were going. In total, 32 indigenous species of mammals have been recorded in Galapagos in recent times. Even though they don’t fly, the Galapagos cormorants still curiously spreads its stubby wings to dry them in the sun (just like other cormorants) when it comes on land. The Galapagos hawk (Buteo galapagoensis) is a large species of hawk endemic to the Galapagos Islands. From dead animals to picking bugs off sleeping marine iguanas, these crabs will eat it all. Because of the tremendous isolation of the islands, the animals are unafraid of people. The bird instead swims on the surface like a duck, dives under the water to catch fish and then comes up to waddle onto land. At least it was that way for us. While all visitors can see the tortoises at the breeding centers, we were fortunate to see several giant tortoises on Isabela Island in their natural habitats. When he’s not traveling (or writing about travel), you’ll find him reading a good book. The sub-species of the Galapagos brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) is believed to be endemic to the islands. We saw Galapagos Green Turtles (Chelonia agassizii) at almost every single one of our snorkels, particularly at Punta Vicente Roca on Isabela Island where there were so many turtles you could almost walk across the small cove without getting your feet wet. The golden rays (Rhinoptera steindachneri), or sometimes called the golden cownose ray or Pacific cownose ray, are a sub-species of eagle rays that gather in schools in coastal lagoons. We jumped out of the zodiaks into the water and able to swim for a few minutes with these majestic creatures in the wild. Conservation programs involving captive breeding and introduction to the wild have been adopted to save the species. A huge part of why you visit the Galapagos Islands is definitely to see the animals! In 1835, Charles Darwin visited the islands of San Cristobal and Santiago and noted the differences in the Galapagos tortoise population on each island. Without a doubt, the fauna of the Galapagos Islands is one of the reasons to visit this beautiful place. The isolated location of the volcanic Galapagos at the intersection of two major ocean currents make it home to some of the world’s most unique wildlife. In fact, Galapagos Island was named after this animal as Galapagos means tortoise in Spanish. They were listed as endangered in the 1980s and only about 1400 breeding females still live in the islands. The Darwin’s finches are known for their unique beaks and specialized functions. The isles are mainly well known for their wildlife, flightless birds, giant reptiles and wild plant life which play a major part in the earths ecosystem. Darwin's Finches. The 1980’s was one of the worst periods for these animals when they suffered a population decline of about 70%. The color, size and behavior of lava lizards varies between Islands. From a distance, the display creates a heart shape between the two birds. The finches include 15 species of passerine birds which were studied by Charles Darwin and helped him derive the ground-breaking theory of natural selection. These playful creatures were found at every island stop during our trip. Straddling the equator, islands in the chain are located in both the northern and southern hemispheres, with Volcán Wolf and Volcán Ecuador on Isla Isabela being directly on the equator. The yellow-crowned night heron (Nyctanassa violacea) is one of the two species of night herons in the world. Our pick for the most colorful animal in the Galapagos Islands is the Sally Lightfoot Crab (Grapsus grapsus). We were fortunate enough to spot several of them at Punta Vicente Roca on Isabela Island. The Galapagos finches, or Darwin’s Finches (Geospizinae), are a grouping of more than a dozen different birds (experts debate on whether the number is 13 or 14). The endangered Galapagos fur seals (Arctocephalus galapagoensis) were nearly hunted to extinction, which has resulted in them being one of the few species that is fearful of humans. The pink iguanas were first seen by park rangers in 1986 and were later classified as entirely separate species in 2009. READ MORE: Galapagos Conservation. In the 1800’s, thousands of these seals were culled for their fur by poachers. Most of these species are threatened due to disturbances created by humans in their natural habitat. One of the Galapagos Islands animals you will love seeing is the short-eared owl. Here you can browse a collection of images of Galapagos wildlife. We saw one come in on landing and go tumbling on the lava landscape of Genovesa Island. You can usually found them in the shade or lurking in the shadows, even when hunting. “I never dreamed that islands about 50 or 60 miles apart, and most of them in sight of each other, formed of precisely the same rocks, placed under a quite similar climate, rising to a nearly equal height, would have been differently tenanted; but we shall soon see that this is the case. For starters, almost all of the animals you find in - 11 Unique Animals To See In The Galapagos Islands - Travel, Travel Inspiration - Ecuador, Galapagos Islands, South America - Travel, Food and Home Inspiration Blog with door-to-door Travel Planner! Heres the scoop on endemic Galapagos species. The brown pelican here is one of few pelican bird species that actively hunts by diving from the sky into the water to catch fish. Oil pollution, death as bycatch are the other factors that have adversely affected these penguins. The seals form large colonies that can be sighted on the rocky shores of the Galapagos Islands. The flightless cormorant has a highly restricted range on the Galapagos Islands and is found only on the two islands of Fernandina and Isabela. The Galapagos penguin is thus the rarest species of penguin. We had luck seeing this one on Genovesa Island (or Tower Island) as it waited by a crevice in the lava to catch a storm petrel that had burrowed in there. Endemic animals are only found in Galapagos: the marine iguana is one example. However, nobody told that to the sea lions. However, marine and land iguanas, sea turtles, and tortoise hatchlings might also serve as their prey on some occasions. The Galapagos finches or the Darwin’s finches are perhaps the most famous fauna inhabiting the Galapagos Islands. He has visited all 50 of the United States as well as 70 countries on 5 continents – all in search of the world’s perfect sausage. These bright red and yellow crabs crawl over the black lava rocks, which makes for great photos. They feed on insects, lizards, snakes, and rodents living on the island. The Galápagos sea lion (Zalophus wollebaeki) is a sea lion species that is found only on the Galapagos Islands and Ecuador’s Isla de la Plata. Mothers are extremely protective of their own offsprings and tend to them with great care. Apart from a few small differences, they are very similar to the Galapagos Sea Lion – most notably their thick fur coat. There are few places around the world where it’s possible to share such close proximity to birds, reptiles, and sea critters without them turning fearful. The iguana can dive nearly 30 feet in the water. Galapagos Islands animals are like nothing else on earth. There are seven recognized sub species of lava lizards that are endemic to Galapagos Islands. This discovery helped fuel his evolutionary theories. The Galápagos Islands are home to lots of different types of plants and animals. It’s a destination so remote that travelers dream for years to visit. They are also known for their hissing and spitting. Most of the seals just lounged on the lava rocks near the water. Here are 5 amazing animals that adapted in Galapagos Islands. The bird is classified as critically endangered since the population of the Galapagos kestrel was significantly reduced due to predation by invasive species. They have tufts of feathers that protrude and look like ears when the owl feels threatened or is behaving aggressively. There are actually seven lava lizard species in the Galapagos. Black rats introduced in Galapagos by humans led to the loss of kestrel hatchlings and invasive plants in the kestrel habitat adversely altered the feeding habits of the bird. 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