The Galápagos also has lots of sea lions, marine iguanas, turtles and tortoises, crabs, and other species wandering around its tidepools and shores. There's also lots of life under the water which we saw snorkeling, but didn't get pictures of, including tropical fish, urchins, and even some sharks and rays. Our tour didn't go to the most dramatic shark spots but other people on the Internet have.
Marine Mammals
Sea lions were a constant presence on all the shorelines we visited. And one evening as we cruised, we saw a school of dolphins jumping and a whale or two. More pictures...
Iguanas and Lizards
Marine iguanas were numerous along practically every shoreline. We saw one land iguana in the wild, and three more being raised in the Darwin Center. Lava lizards were also frequently spotted. More pictures...
Giant Land Tortoises and Sea Turtles
One of the most well-known Galápagos species is the giant land tortoise. It's also been one of the most endangered -- rats eat tortoise eggs, and goats ravenously clear out the vegetation the tortoises depend on. The Darwin Center is working to rebuild stable populations of the different species of giant land tortoise, and reintroduce them on the islands where they've become threatened or extinct. There is also a major effort to rid the islands of goats and rats.
More pictures...
Sally Lightfoot Crabs
Most Galápagos tidepools have dozens of Sally Lightfoot crabs. Most of them are very bright orange red, and a few of them are black. It must make it hard to tell when they are cooked. The guide said they don't have much meat on them, but I'll bet they make a delicious stock. More pictures...
