The Galápagos Islands are a chain of islands, or archipelago, in the eastern Pacific Ocean.The Galápagos are best known for their diverse array of plant and animal species. Many species are endemic, which means they are not found anywhere else in the world. Why is Galápagos Islands important? Facts. Six hundred miles off the coast […]

Galapagos is recognised as one of the few spots on the planet where you can consistently dive with Whale Sharks, and perhaps the only place to dive with large adult specimens of 10-12 metres in length. Is it OK to swim with whale sharks? While whale sharks have a huge mouth, they almost exclusively feed […]

The Galapagos have some of the best beaches in the world. Many locations are great for beach snorkeling as well. From December to May, it is very warm and sunny in the islands, making it ideal for swimming in the comfortable shallow waters. Is it safe to swim in Galapagos Islands? The variety of sea […]

Insect repellent: The Galapagos doesn’t have many mosquitoes or biting insects, but bring a little repellent just in case. Are there bugs in the Galapagos? Other than butterflies, there are not many colorful insect species in the Galapagos. There are, however, many species of moths, ants, grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, cockroaches, dragonflies, flies and spiders. There […]

They are foraging predators that primarily eat small fishes. They forage relatively close to shore, as they are prey for the large marine predators of the Galapagos Islands, namely sharks, fur seals, and sea lions. How do Galapagos penguins help the environment? Unlike most cold-water penguins, they have several adaptations that allow them to tolerate […]

Repeated volcanic eruptions helped to form the rugged mountain landscape of the Galápagos Islands. The Galápagos are best known for their diverse array of plant and animal species. Many species are endemic, which means they are not found anywhere else in the world. What made the Galapagos Islands so diverse? The Galapagos Islands are so […]

13 species. There are now at least 13 species of finches on the Galapagos Islands, each filling a different niche on different islands. All of them evolved from one ancestral species, which colonized the islands only a few million years ago. Why there are 13 different finch species on the Galapagos Islands today? Many years […]

Galapagos is not accepting any new permanent residents. In 1998, a law was passed granting permanent residence to anyone who had lived there for five years, or who did from that point on.Now, only those who marry or are born to residents can get permanent residency. Can I live on the Galapagos Islands? People live […]

Which observation about species in the Galapagos Islands was important for Darwin’s development of evolutionary theory? The Cape Verde Islands and the Galapagos Islands have very different species despite their very similar geological and climatic conditions. What did Darwin suggest explained these differences? Which important observation in the Galápagos Islands led to Darwin’s development of […]

Due to the fragility of their stunning flora and fauna – some of which has been gravely affected by unchecked human activities during past decades – measures were taken by the Ecuadorian Government and the Galapagos National Park (GNP) to help life in the islands recover while maintaining sustainable travel in the Why are the […]

The Galapagos hotspot (estimated to be around 150km wide) is located to the west of the Galapagos Archipelago. The Islands are located in the northern part of the Nazca plate, which is slowly drifting in a southeasterly direction at a rate of approximately 5cm per year. Is Galapagos Islands biodiversity hotspot? Reached by four major […]

Many are surprised to know the Galapagos are indeed inhabited. Even though the archipelago is a National Park, some of the biggest islands are not only home to the Galapagos flora and fauna, but to humans. Are the Galapagos inhabited? The Galapagos is an archipelago of 19 islands in the Pacific Ocean.Each island has its […]

After surveying the coasts of South America, the ship stopped over in the Galapagos Islands. During his visit to the islands, Darwin noted that the unique creatures were similar from island to island, but perfectly adapted to their environments which led him to ponder the origin of the islands’ inhabitants. How did Darwin find the […]