GALAPAGOS

ORIGIN

First, there’s the islands’ origin and location. They are volcanic, the product of a crack in the ocean floor creating a ‘hotspot’ through which lava shot up (and continues to shoot up!) to form the islands. All this in the wilds of the Pacific Ocean, some 1,000 kilometre (600 miles) from the South American continent.

EVOLUTION IN ACTION

Second, the species that managed to reach these shores and survive once they arrived have evolved in truly unique ways. The inky-black marine iguana’s ancestor, for example, is a tree-dwelling green iguana from the continent, that somehow got washed out into the ocean, catching a ride on a raft of vegetation. The couple (or the pregnant individual) managed to survive, and from one generation to the next, adapted to its new natural environment. The individuals who fed in the sea survived best and so the species eventually came to feed exclusively underwater, expelling the salt from its diet from its nostrils in unseemly snorts. This is just one example of the archipelago’s amazing creatures, but there are many others, including the Galapagos Penguin (the only penguin to be found in the Tropics) and the Flightless Cormorant.

NO FEAR

Thirdly, in terms of the visitor experience, the Galapagos are special because the animals are fearless. They are not tame, since they’re still very much wild. But they do not have an ingrained fear of humans. Due to the lack of large mammal predators, they do not regard Man as a threat. This makes for magical and very special encounters and experiences for visitors, who can approach nesting birds and lazing sealions without them taking flight or running off. Very few places in the world can offer such up-close and personal encounters with beautiful creatures.

PROTECTED & PRISTINE

Lastly, the Galapagos has been protected since 1959 as a national park by the Ecuadorian authorities. Despite the challenges of growth and development, it remains a great example for the sustainable use of natural resources. Some 97% of the archipelago’s land is protected by the national park, and its marine reserve ranks among the largest in the world. From a visitor point of view, it’s largely a pristine environment which still feels preternatural and wild. A very special place indeed.