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The Galapagos Islands - A Place Unlike Any Other On Earth
By Stephanie Larkin
The are truly a step back in time, to a place untouched by the evolutionary factors which have affected the rest of the world. Charles Darwin spent 6 weeks exploring the islands in 1835, and he stated himself that his time there had a profound effect upon his "Theory of the Origin of Species."
The were formed by volcanos about 5 million years ago, which is quite recently as compared to geologic time. Being set apart from the mainland, the developed species unique to the islands, with features not seen anywhere else in the world.
The were first explored by the Spanish in 1535. The name "Galapagos" came from the word for saddle, as this is what the explorers thought of when they saw the unique Galapagos Tortoises inhabiting the island. Equador took possesion of the archipelago located 600 miles off its coast in 1832. In 1835, Charles Darwin spent 6 weeks studying the animals of the islands, and his work here greatly influenced his "Theory of the Origin of the Species".
The consist of 13 major islands, 5 of which are inhabited today. The island of Baltra is where you would find the airport, with flights coming in from Equador. The other populated islands - Santa Cruz, San Cristobol, Isabela and Floreana - along with Baltra - have a total population of about 18,000.
There is no place on earth where you can experience the wonder of the beautiful and unique animals indigenous to the Galapagos Islands. Here are some of the animals you may see on your Galapagos Cruise:
Galapagos Tortoise - This pre-historic animal is a delight to watch, and can be differentiated from other tortoises by it's shell, neck and other extremities. There are 14 sub-species of the Galapagos Tortoise, 3 of which are extinct.
Marine Turtle - The Pacific Green Sea Turtles lay their eggs from December to June. They are fascinating to watch while snorkeling or scuba diving.
Marine Iguanas - The only lizard on earth the live in the ocean, the Marine Iguana is a sight to be seen when mating, as it's black skin turns a bright red in order to attract a mate.
Land Iguanas - The Land Iguana stands on it's hind legs to eat it's favorite food - prickly pear cactus - which it does without removing the spines before eating.
Penguins - The penguins found here in the are the only warm-water penguins in the world, as well as the most northerly penguins, as all other penguins live in the cooler waters of the southern hemisphere.
Waved Albatross - These beautiful birds can stay away at sea for months and even years without touching down on land.
Frigate bird - This black bird is most unusual in that during courtship the male bird blows up a large red
balloon of skin under his beak.
Finches - Darwin himself was captivated with the finches, and you will be, too. There are 13 species differentiated by the size and form of their beaks. Article Directory: http://www.articlecube.com Stephanie Larkin is the editor of www.CruiseLinesandPorts.com, as well as www.CruiseGalapago.net. She and her family love to cruise - her 3 children especially love the towel animals and chocolates left on the beds at night!
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