Galapagos Islands

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Galapagos Islands
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Alternate Names

• The islands were originally known as Las Islas
  Encantadas. (Enchanted Isles)
• Today the islands are sometimes referred to as
  the Galapagos archipelago (refers to a cluster
  of islands) or the Archipelago de Colón.

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• Galapago means saddle
• The name comes from the saddle back carapace that
  is found on the giant tortoises.

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Geology and History

• The islands straddle the equator.
• The entire area is volcanic.
• The main islands are the tips of volcanoes that
  have reached the surface.
• Some of the volcanoes are not active.
• Fernandina and Isabela are two of the most active
  volcanoes on earth.

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• Fernandinas volcano last erupted in 2005
• Isabelas volcano last erupted in 1998
• All of the islands are less than 5 million years
  old.
• Fernandina is the youngest island, less than 1
  million years old.

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• Fernandina is the largest uninhabited island on
  earth.
• No residents
• No introduced species
• pristine

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• Because the islands sit on the equator, they do
  not have seasons like we are used to.
• Ocean currents around the Galapagos create two
  seasons
• Warm season
• Cool season

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Warm Season

• Warm waters move south in December
• Warms the temperature
• Forms rain clouds
• 90 of annual rainfall happens during the warm
  season
• Lasts through May

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Puzzle

• stool
• powder
• ball
• big
• soil
• table

• drop
• off
• stand

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Cool Season

• Begins in May.
• Trade winds start to push the Humboldt Current
  north
• Results in cooler temperatures
• The shift in current brings food rich water to
  the islands.
• Attracts seabirds
• Precipitation is lightmisty. Known as garua

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Geology

• The islands sit on the Nazca plate.
• The plate is moving towards South America.
• The western islands are the youngest, the eastern
  islands are the oldest.
• The Carnegie ridge, submerged sea mountains, lie
  between South America and the Galapagos
  archipelago.
• Submerged mountains are thought to be eroded
  older islands.

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• Stages of succession on Galapagos Islands
• Barely cooled lava
• Lava cactus and mangroves that can grow on the
  lava.
• Lava cactus and mangroves break up lava to form
  soil.
• Other specific plants start to grow.
• Vegetation becomes more dense as you move inward

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Conservation

• 1965 Ecuadorian government sets up boundaries of
  Galápagos National Park, and begins the
  eradication of all feral goats.

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Conservation

• 1999 declaration of the Galápagos Marine
  Reserve, outlawing industrial fishing within the
  Park.

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Conservation

• Local fishermen allowed to fish under
  restrictions of takes and seasons.
• Local fishermen have greatly expanded their take
  of pepiños (sea cucumbers).
• Because of high prices offered in East Asia,
  these have become very marketable.

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Conservation

• Marine Reserve
• Extends 40 miles out from the islands.
• Several incidents with "pirate" fishing fleets

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Agencies and Duties

• CDRS basic and applied research
• Galápagos National Park Service monitor and
  protect habitats
• Charles Darwin Foundation and others find
  resources to implement controls and education.

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Zoning in the Galapagos

• High Protection Zones (near pristine part of the
  Park, very tight restrictions)
• Primitive Zones (only investigators and Park
  staff, allowing for recovery of native wildlife).
  
• Majority of area of the Park is Primitive Zone

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Zones

• Special Use Zone (places where park has been
  modified for human infrastructure or natural
  resource use)
• Visitors Zones (the places people can visit)
• External Zones (places of human habitation)

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Current Efforts at Conservation

• Reestablishing wild populations of land iguanas
  and tortoises
• Lonely George
• 20 endemic vegetation is endangered
• 50 vertebrate species are endangered
• Controlling Introduced Species
• Goats
• Blackberry
• Darwin Foundation

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Wildlife

• Finches
• Giant Tortoises
• Flightless Cormorant
• Marine Iguanas
• Sally lightfoot crabs
• Sea Lions

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Finches

• 13 distinct species of finch
• each species has its own niche.
• Galapagos finches are small and sparrow-like
• woodpecker finch uses tools (digs in the ground
  with twigs)

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Giant Tortoise

• Weigh up to 500 pounds
• Live for as many as 150 years
• Bred and raised in captivity at the Darwin
  Research Station (DRS)
• released when they can defend themselves
• Shells vary in shape depending on where the
  tortoises live and what they eat.
• Feed on grasses, plants and fallen fruit.

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Flightless Cormorant

• Lost functional wings because habitat contained
  abundant food and no natural predators.
• Wings are one-third the size required for a bird
  of its size to fly.
• Eat fish and small octopuses.

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Marine Iguanas

• Only sea lizard in the world
• Scarcity of food led some land iguanas to seek
  food along the shoreline and gradually underwater
• Swim as far as 50 feet below water
• Eat seaweed and algae
• Can hold their breath for 15 minutes

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Sally Lightfoot Crabs

• Climbing crab that uses the spines on the ends of
  its legs to cling to rocks.
• Named by sailors in honor of a 19th century
  dancer, this crab is bright yellowish-orange in
  color

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Sea Lions

• Subspecies of the California sea lion
• Feed on squid, octopus and fish
• rarely venture more than 10 miles out to sea.
• Highly intelligent