A Galapagos Penguin swimming near Puerto Villamil, Isabela Island
Returning to the Galapagos Islands four years after my first visit, there was one specific animal on my ‘must photograph’ list – the endangered Galapagos Penguin!
The last time I was in the Galapagos Islands I saw only two penguins while I was snorkeling at Bartolome Island. They sat on a rocky ledge for a brief 10 seconds before vanishing in the water and escaping from me and my camera.
The second smallest penguins in the world, and the only penguins that are not restricted to the southern hemisphere, these equator-hopping penguins are cute little guys.
They’re not flashy, but they’re definitely ‘penguin’. Blending in perfectly with the black, grey and white lava rocks around the islands, they are surprisingly well camouflaged.
But in the crystal clear water, they are perfect little photo subjects.
This guy was one of three that were swimming along not far from Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island.
Lonesome George, photographed at the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos
Up until June 2012, Lonesome George was one of the rarest animals on earth. While Galapagos Tortoises are plentiful, George was the last of his species from Pinta Island.
For decades he was held in captivity, and safety, on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos, with hopes that a suitable mate would be found one day. During his time there at the Charles Darwin Research Station, he mated with a number of females from other Galapagos Tortoise species, but the eggs never hatched. Despite rewards being offered and numerous searches conducted, no female of his species was ever found and Lonesome George passed away from old age on June 24th, 2012.
The root cause of his species decline was the introduction of feral goats on his island. Despite eradication efforts, feral goats remain an issue on some islands of the Galapagos where they compete for food with native species such as tortoises.
There aren’t many animals out there with a better name than the Lava Lizard.
Seriously, try and think of a cooler named animal…I bet you can’t!
The Española Lava Lizard (Microlophus delanonis) one of 9 Endemic Lava Lizards in the Galapagos
Visit the Galapagos Islands and you’ll undoubtedly come across these skittish little creatures. While not unique to the Galapagos (Lava lizards are common to other destinations, in particular Peru), there are nine Lava Lizard species that are endemic to the Galapagos Islands. As with the birds, tortoises and larger iguanas; the lava lizards have evolved on each island to be genetically unique.
A Floreana Lava Lizard (Microlophus grayii) photographed at Punta Cormorant
That’s one of those oddly interesting things about the Galapagos. You can sail to a different island in a couple of hours and see similar-looking animals, but their size, colour and habits will be slightly different – unique – from their relatives found on the other islands.
Some Galapagos Lava Lizards are brightly coloured, others are quite dull. (Females are often bright red in colour, males are dull grey or brown). Different islands have different sized Lava Lizards too, but they’re all pretty similar. I tried to challenge myself to find as many different species as I could on the islands, I spotted Lava Lizards on Espanola, Floreana, Bartolome, Sombrero Chino, South Plaza, San Cristobal and Isabela Islands.
A San Cristóbal Lava Lizard (Microlophus bivittatus) photographed at Isla Lobos
I captured decent photos of four different species, each pictured in this article, which help show the different shapes, colours and sizes of these lizards.
A Galápagos Lava Lizard (Microlophus albemarlensis) seen on Isabela Island
Unfortunately some of them were too elusive for the camera, so my photos of them are just tails, or specks too far away. I also failed in spotting any Lava Lizards breathing through their eyelids. Sadly that seems to be a myth from the classic baseball movie Bull Durham. Lava Lizards breathe through their nostrils. (Click on the Espanola or San Cristobal photos and you should see their nostrils.)
Another Galapagos Lava Lizard (Microlophus albemarlensis), the most widespread of the Galapagos species. This was on South Plaza Island.
When it comes to Giant Tortoises, nobody does it better than the Galapagos Islands.
Far from the busy Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island is the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center on Isabela Island.
A ‘Little’ Giant Tortoise at the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center on Isabela Island
You won’t find Lonesome George or any other famous tortoises here, nor will you find any crowds. On my visit to the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre I was the only person there, aside from the workers. It was the perfect, private tortoise experience.
To get there, you need to be staying on the largest island of the Galapagos – Isabela. From the town of Puerto Villamil, it’s an enjoyable boardwalk path around some lagoons and a forest. The walk there is short and simple, about 1km or so. Along the way you’ll see wading and migratory birds, perhaps some flamingos, lava lizards and marine iguanas too.
The Boardwalk to Giant Tortoiseland on Isabela island
After the little nature walk, you arrive at the Galapagos Tortoise Breeding Center, which is all business. It is actually quite a large complex, with many different corrals, or holding areas for the tortoises.
Most tortoises here are species from southern Isabela Island and they’re identified by the shape of their shells. Isabela Island has five distinct giant tortoises, each associated with a different volcano and area on the island. Some of them are recognized by their flat, saddleback shells, while others have higher, domed shape shells. The different shell shapes come from the environment they live in and the food available for them to eat.
The Giant Tortoises of Isabela Island, Galapagos
It is thought that the saddleback shells of the Sierra Negro Giant Tortoises allow them to stretch higher to reach food from the opuntia / prickly pear cactus. Interesting huh?
The feeding time at the center was actually quite amusing to watch. The tortoises gather around large, circular troughs, munching away so you’re left staring at tortoise butts. No stragglers here either, if you’re off in a far away corner at feeding time, you better speed along to get your place at the trough!
Feeding Time at the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center on Isabela Island
When not feeding they’re ambling around with plenty of space, enjoying the good life while the researchers here get them ready for breeding or being sent off into the wild to sustain their populations.
Getting a one-on-one tour around the center and being free to wander around on my own, this was a super relaxed place to enjoy tortoise watching compared to either the Research Centre or Highlands on Santa Cruz. I would say I even enjoyed the tortoise time here more than I did at Galapaguera on San Cristobal Island.
‘Little’ Giant Tortoises Eating (Not Big Enough for the Trough Yet)
The real highlight was getting to see, and hold, a giant tortoise egg. It was surprisingly light for it’s size and nearly perfectly round. Of course the one I was shown had long since lost it’s chance to become a living tortoise. The researchers at the breeding center take great care in carefully documenting their work here. Even the egg had numbers and markings on it so they knew which tortoise it came from, when it was laid and what other tortoises were hatched from that clutch of eggs.
A Galapagos Giant Tortoise Egg at the Breeding Center on Isabela Island
Now the hatching and incubation areas were largely off-limits here when I visited, but seeing how many tortoises they had already successfully bred and raised and released into the wild was a rewarding experience. If you’re a big fan of tortoises, then I highly recommend spending time on Isabela Island for some private tortoise time.
