176 stories
The Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) is back in business! Not that they ever actually went out of business, but things were looking grim back in December, when the venerable Galapagos institution announced that it was facing a massive year-end budgetary shortfall and the prospect of closing its doors for good.
The government of Ecuador has declared a 180-day state of emergency in response to the grounding of the freighter Floreana on Jan. 28. The ship, which was carrying about 1,400 tons of cargo, including food and construction materials, and 13,000 gallons of fuel, ran aground in Naufragio Bay on San Cristobal.
As its name implies, the Galapagos dove is endemic to the islands. Unlike most other species in the Galapagos, the Galapagos dove populations found on different islands look very similar and have low genetic diversity, which suggests that their is quite a bit of inter-island hanky-panky going on.
These days, the big budget, irreverent and sometimes groundbreaking ads that run during the Super Bowl are as highly anticipated and talked about as the big game itself. That’s why Ecuador’s decision to run a 30-second spot promoting its “All You Need is Ecuador” tourism campaign is generating some buzz.
Good news about the environment seems to be a rarity these days, which makes this story all the more enjoyable to share.
The Galapagos Islands are a paradise for reptiles and the people who love them. The diminutive and endemic Galapagos lava lizard is often overlooked in favor of the islands’ better know reptile species, such as the iconic giant tortoise and the fascinating marine iguana. Still, this colorful little creature is well worth a moment of your time.
“Lonesome George, spread your angel wings and fly… Go and meet your tortoise lady on that island in the sky.” The lonesome death of Lonesome George in 2012 affected a lot of people. You see, George was more than a mere tortoise.
This great blue heron was caught posing between two Galapagos cruise boats. The species is a resident of the islands and can be seen throughout much of the archipelago.
The Galapagos Safari Camp may be one of the islands’ best kept secrets. Located on a 136-acre form bordering the Galapagos National Park, the camp is modeled after the luxurious safari camps found across much of Africa.
Last month, three very special passengers arrived at Seattle’s Sea-Tac airport. Terminator, Luna and Jonathan are recently retired Galapagos police dogs who had come all the way from Ecuador to meet their new caretakers, after spending five years sniffing out illegal wildlife products from the Galapagos islands.
Peter Liu captured this stunning image of a Pacific seahorse near Cousin Rock, one of the most famous dive sites in the Galapagos Islands. The Pacific seahorse can be found living near coral reefs along the coasts Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Peru, and the United States.
If there is one animal that has come to symbolize the Galapagos Islands, it is the giant tortoise. You’ll find its likeness in the logos of the Galapagos National Park, the Charles Darwin Foundation, and the Galapagos Conservancy.
