by M. Sparga

Created on: January 31, 2007   Last Updated: May 02, 2007

Where can you find penguins, flamingos, and dolphins living in the same area? I'm not talking about the zoo, I'm talking about the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador. These islands have a unique location where warm and temperate ocean currents meet, making them an ideal habitat for a rare mix of species.

Reptiles:
The Galapagos are probably best known for their reptiles, specifically the giant Galapagos tortoises. These large creatures can live a long life on a very simple diet, making them choice meet for pirates to carry on their ships when they used to harbor in the islands. The waters are also teeming with sea turtles. Galapagos iguanas might not be the cutest of lizards, but they're pretty neat because they're adapted to feed on algae underwater. These dark lizards swim skillfully through the water, then lounge on land and sneeze up salt to clear it from their systems.

Birds:
The Galapagos are a bird watcher's paradise. Besides housing the varied finches of Darwin fame, the islands are the northern most spot where you can find penguins in the wild. In the warmer seasons, you may also find flamingos. Plus the world's only flightless cormorant is endemic to the island chain. Frigate birds nesting along Seymour Island are a spectacular site during mating season, for the males puff up their red breast like a balloon to attract a mate. The blue-footed booby is known for the bright color of its feet; young booby chicks hatch in pairs spaced five days apart, with the older one determining whether the younger one will be allowed to live and share its food.

Fish:
The waters surrounding the islands teem with fish, octopi, and coral. The waters are clear and provide a great view of sharks, sea urchins, and other aquatic life.

Mammals: Occasionally dolphins can be spotted around the islands, particularly in the warmer months. Sea lions lounge around the beaches of the unpopulated islands and have been known to swim and chase fish around tourists.

One of the most remarkable features of this treasure trove of species is how unafraid of humans the animals are. If you get the chance to visit the Galapagos islands, please respect the wildlife and do your part to make sure that future generations will, for example, be able to view the nest of a blue-footed booby from just a few feet away.

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