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Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
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Galapagos Sea Lions A shallow spot off of Plaza Island is home to a group of sea lion pups, hard at play. Some trace patterns in the sand with their dog-like noses, while one dramatic youngster (far left) "plays dead". My approach with a camera ended his charade, as he barked and headed for the surface. |
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Teeming With Life Six hundred miles off the coast of Ecuador, the warm waters of the Panama current collide with the cold of the Humboldt Current, mingling tropical and temperate species in a wild aggregation. In choppy, nutrient rich waters, I find myself engulfed by a school of Striped Salema, thousands strong. Below me, the sea floor is blanketed in Red Sea Stars, as the waters of Galapagos teem with life. |
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Land Iguanas Never having been prayed on by humans, the Land Iguanas of Galapagos are quite approachable. These herbivores can reach lengths of three feet, and are often seen challenging each other in competition for territory. As poikilotherms, they cannot internally regulate their body temperatures, and can be found cooling off in the shade of a Prickly Pear Cactus tree. |
