Galapagos Giants REV

The Galapagos Islands are extraordinary. They are populated by a rich variety of remarkable and accessible animals and their diversity famously helped Charles Darwin ferment his theory of evolution. 

Galapagos Mockingbird

The legend is that he was most taken by the birds. He recognised the subtle differences between the different species. The mockingbirds were allegedly the group that drew his attention most, although his name is more associated with the finch species.

Shy giant (they hiss to warn you off)

However, the animals that the island are best-known for, the tortoises whose evolution in this isolated archipelago allowed them to reach great size and develop into a number of subspecies attracted his attention for a different reason. Like many early visitors, famously including visiting whalers, Darwin captured and sailed away with a number of the giants because they survived for many months out at sea, providing a ready source of fresh meat. 

Poor tortoises! Here are some pictures of the descendants of some of those left behind which I met on the Islands of Santa Cruz and Floreana.

First a picture to show both scale and what the well-dressed Englishman is wearing in the tropics this year:

Man meets ancient tortoise (the tortoise is on the right)

A Giant has a snack

A Giant wallows in some lovely green slime

A youngster - maybe 3 years old - on Floreana 

Snack time at the Floreana feeding station - part of a reintroduction programme

Two subspsecies showing the more traditional shell shape on the left and the 'sadlleback' on the right

A small altercation - they soon settled down - when properly riled they bang noses!

And not far away - the tortoise's cousins - Pacific Green turtles

And by vast popular demand - a blue-footed booby

synchronous diving by blue-footed boobies

juvenile frigate bird

Galapagos sealion and marine iguana take a nap - Floreana

And finally one of Darwin's famous ground finches (small female)