Today we had the opportunity to learn about two species of sea lion found in the Galapagos archipelago. One of them came from the north and is very closely related to the California sea lion. The other one, the so-called fur seal, came from the southern hemisphere. Here, they both coexist along the coastline. They don’t compete for the same food source because the fur seal is a nocturnal hunter while the Galapagos sea lion hunts during daylight hours. We also had the opportunity to observe many other animals endemic to Galapagos, such as mockingbirds, lizards, iguanas, Darwin finches, flycatchers, and of course, the top predator in the archipelago, the Galapagos hawk.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 22 Jun 2023
Santiago Island, 6/22/2023, National Geographic Islander II
- Aboard the National Geographic Islander II
- Galápagos
Walter Perez, Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor
Walter was born in a very small town on the mainland of Ecuador. His first trip to the Galápagos was when he was 12 years old, visiting friends and aunt, who had moved to the islands. From the first moment he saw the Islands, he fell in love with the...
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Galápagos Escape: An 8-Day Voyage
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Española Island is an older, eroded volcano with outstanding, unique wildlife. Although better known for the nesting bird colonies, Gardner Bay Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches on earth, not only because of its fine, white sand surrounded by colorful turquoise waters, but also for the sea lion colony that rests here. Punta Suarez looks as if nothing could live there, but as we walked along the loop trail, it unveiled highly concentrated nesting bird colonies. Included in its inhabitants is one of the most important, the waved albatross, which only nests on this island from April to December. We also observed Nazca boobies, colorful marine iguanas, lava lizards, and more. What a privilege it was for all of us to visit this special place.