The giant tortoises of the Galápagos Islands have no natural predators, but their shells represent a mortal danger of their own. How do Galapagos tortoises protect themselves? Tortoises have the ability to use their tough claws and strong legs to dig into the ground and create burrows, which protect them from both predators, as well […]

There are two main ways for species to make their way to remote islands (aside from any methods involving humans). The first method is by air in the form of flying or being blown by wind, and the second method is by sea while swimming or floating, sometimes with the aid of rafts of tangled […]

Unlike birds, reptiles cannot fly to Galapagos, so all of them had to get there by accident. Reptiles such as snakes, tortoises and iguanas presumably were washed off of the mainland somehow clinging to floating material such as fallen trees or reeds, arriving at Galapagos after some weeks at sea. How did land animals get […]

Climate change predictions As the Galapagos Islands are located near the equator, it is likely that temperatures would rise by the global average.Sea level rise: Current estimates suggest that sea levels around the Islands have the potential to rise by around 1 metre by 2100. What concerns are there for the future of the Galapagos […]

Abundance & Distribution: In Galapagos, Scalloped Hammerheads are abundant in Darwin Island and Wolf Island, with an occasional balance around the archipelago. They can be spotted at certain snorkeling sites during a Galapagos cruise. They live worldwide in tropical and semitropical waters. Where are the hammerheads in the Galapagos Islands? Dive with Hammerheads at Gordon […]

Two centuries ago, the Galapagos Islands were home to more than 200,000 giant tortoises; today four species are extinct and only 10% of the original number remain. The rescue and eventual recovery of the tortoise populations has been slow and steady. Are Galapagos tortoises endangered species? All of the Galapagos giant tortoise species alive today […]

The Enchanted Isles, officially known as the Galapagos [plural] Islands are a group of islands that have been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site for the plethora of iconic wildlife and otherworldly landscapes that they are home to. Is Galápagos Islands a noun? The Galápagos Islands. Why are the Galapagos islands called Galapagos? In 1570 […]

The Galapagos Islands is always hot. Sometimes it is a comfortable heat, sometimes it can be a sweltering, humid heat. Since the Galapagos Islands are right on the equator (the northern part of Isabela Island lies directly on the equator), you should consider the Galapagos as a tropical destination. What type of climate does the […]

Over the years, fourteen different sub-species of finch have evolved there. Some of them hop on the ground and eat seeds, some stay in trees and eat insects. The finches changed to fit in where there was not already some other animal or bird eating the available food or using the available nesting sites. How […]

January through April are the hottest months, with average temperatures getting above 78∘F (26∘C). The tropical Galapagos season reaches its peak in mid-March, after which time the cool water currents and southeast trade winds slowly return the islands to the cool, dry season. What is the best month to go to the Galapagos Islands? The […]

Official discovery In 1535, the Islands were officially discovered by Fray Tomás de Berlanga (the Bishop of Panama at the time).The strong ocean current carried him out to the Galapagos Islands. When the winds died down he stumbled upon the islands by accident on March 10 1535. How were the Galapagos discovered? The Galapagos Islands […]

Feral goats first arrived on the islands when they were brought in by pirates, fishermen, and whalers who abandoned them to guarantee a fresh meat supply when they came back to the archipelago. Who brought goats to the Galapagos Islands? Introduced by whalers and pirates in the 1800s, goats are considered to be an invasive […]

It is one of only three species of snakes on the Galápagos Islands, and it was first described in 1860. Galapagos racer Genus: Pseudalsophis Species: P. biserialis Binomial name Pseudalsophis biserialis (Günther, 1860) Are there any snakes in the Galapagos Islands? The Galapagos snakes are one of the most beautiful reptiles of the archipelago. Galapagos […]

In 1570 the Galapagos Islands were included in a world atlas by a Flemish cartographer Abraham Ortelius. He named the islands ‘Insulae de los de Galapagos’. The shells of the giant tortoises reminded the visitors of horse saddles, and Galapagos comes from the Spanish word for saddle. What does Galapagos stand for? tortoiseIt just so […]

The only way for travelers to get to the Galapagos Islands is by air. Travelers must fly from mainland Ecuador to the Galapagos. It is not possible to cruise from mainland and there is no road or ferry service. Which Galapagos Islands can you fly to? There are two airports in Galapagos, on the Islands […]