Category: Galapagos Information

Galapagos Famous Animals Located at the convergence of three ocean currents, the Galapagos Islands are home to numerous marine species. The archipelago also experiences constant volcanic and seismic activities, and therefore, happens to be one of the most visited travel destinations amongst the adventurous travelers. The islands of Galapagos and their surroundings form a national park, a biological marine reserve and an Ecuadorian province. Renowned for being home to a number of Galapagos famous animals and endemic species, the enchanted islands are ideal for nature lovers. However, the constantly growing population and tourism industry poses a serious threat to the animals of the Galapagos Islands , as has been warned by many wildlife and marine experts. There are a number of famous and exceptional species in the Galapagos Islands. Here is the description of five such species that you shouldn’t miss to catch a sight of while visiting: The Galapagos Tortoises: The Galapagos Tortoises are perhaps the Galapagos famous animal per se, considering they gave the name “Galapagos” to the archipelago and are one of the two giant tortoise species found in the world today. The word “galápago” meant saddle or tortoise in Spanish. Thus, the existence of these large tortoises gave this special name to the islands. These huge tortoises were found to weight about 400kg and were measured to be about 1.8 meters in length. Many Galapagos Tortoises were found to live for more than a 100 years. The favorable climate that supported the life and growth of these tortoises has helped them exist on seven islands of the Galapagos Islands. The Galapagos tortoises are found to differ in the shape and size of their shell. The ones that are found in humid highlands are larger with domed shells and short necks. While the ones found on dry

Solo Female Travel in Ecuador   Solo Female Travel in Ecuador: There are various reasons other than not finding anyone suitable for traveling with why women are traveling solo more than ever these days. Perhaps, the biggest allure is the freedom, the empowerment and the ease of meeting new people while you are on your own.  Ecuador is a great place to start with for a solo female travel in South America, people are friendly, the landscapes are awesome and the tourism infrastructure has absolutely improved in the past 5 years. In ideal circumstances, we could travel carelessly and freely; just grab our backpacks and favorite shoes and roam without a plan. A reality check soon reveals that being a solo traveler (girl or boy) certainly requires some precautions and planning ahead.  Out of all considerations, here’s a short list for what might be the essentials if you are planning to come to Ecuador as a solo female traveler.   Travel by day – Safety first Ecuador is tourist friendly location, and security measures for tourism have increased immensely in the last 10 years. You will find metropolitan security guards at various times of the day, especially at nights in tourist spots. However, in big cities or highly concurred spots (such as Quito, Guayaquil, Atacamaes or Montañita), some common sense precautions should be taken. Avoide wandering alone after dark in big cities Hook up with a couple of companions or sign-up to a guided hike Let hotel staff know where you are going and when you expect to be back Be aware of your surroundings and always listen to your girly intuitions. If you feel uncomfortable in a situation, leave. Try to get in legal taxis ONLY (this depends on the city, but they must all have a municipally logo).

Isabela Island: galapagos volcano eruption Galapagos volcano eruption. For everyone following the news on the eruption of Volcan Wolf here on Isabela Island. This is what a Pink Iguana looks like. They are on the endangered species list. News revealed today that the lava is not on a path of distruction towards these amazing animals. The overflight conducted yesterday afternoon in the naval plane with the participation of representatives of the Galapagos National Park (GNP), the Ministry of Environment, National Secretary for Risk Management, Governing Council Special Regime Galapagos and Regional Management Guard Aquatic and Insular Areas; allowed the environmental authority to determine that there are no lava flows near the sea, so it is concluded that the activity has been significantly reduced. More information The evaluation confirmed that the erruption occured on the south-eastern flank of volcano Wolf. More than 6 kilometers from the habitat of pink iguanas (Conolophus marthae), yellow Galapagos land iguana and the giant tortoise population of the species Chelonoidis becky. So that technicians assume that there will be greater involvement of the Galapagos fauna. Reports from the guides that are near the area have also reported a significant reduction in volcanic activity, compared to the first day. However, the Galapagos National Park does not rule out the possibility of other lava flows into the boiler, or through underground tunnels. A large amount of ash and steam is seen around the volcano to the west, so that monitoring is maintained. Wolf volcano, is the highest of the archipelago, with 1707 meters above sea level more. It is one of the five active volcanoes on Isabela Island, next to Sierra Negra, Cerro Azul, Alcedo and Darwin. Isabela and Fernandina Island, are considered the younger emerged from the seabed between 60 and 300 thousand years ago; San Cristobal and

Galapagos Tortoises – (Geochelone nigrita) Yep, it’s true, the world’s largest tortoise title belongs to the Galapagos Tortoise. They can weigh more that 200kg, and male Galapagos Tortoise are actually larger than females. Their shell is adorned with blackish shields and they can measure up to 1.3 meters long and live past 150 years. The tail is short and thick and the feet resemble to elephants’, with long nails and short fingers. They possess a distinctive long neck, the eyes are located on each side of the head and, did you know they have no ears? The male´s shell is designed with a depression in the belly, allowing it to engage with the female during copulation. More information Galapagos Tortoise Galapagos Tortoise live in arid and dry areas way up in the highlands of the Galapagos Islands (1.700 masl.) and have the ability to survive without water or food during months. It is for this reason that in the past the crew from whale and pirate ships hunted and took them aboard to serve as food during their journeys. Galapagos Tortoises take advantage of the early morning sunlight to increase corporal heat. Their movements are quite slow and they move mostly  in orderto search for herbs, they are herbivores. Their long neck plays and important part here, it allows them to reach for leafs and fruits found in higher branches. During nights, they rest among vegetation or in mud pools to keep body heat. Even though they are earth habitants, they are often found in in water pools hydrating and refreshing. Their main source of nourishment is tuna plant, which contains plenty of water, supplemented by herbs and grass. mating season During mating season, they move towards the lower lands of the islands to nest. Females will dig a hole in the sand where about