Wildlife enthusiasts should make the Galapagos a bucket list destination, purely due to the many species exclusive to the islands. That’s about 80 percent of the land birds, 97 percent of the reptiles and land mammals and 20 percent of the marine life. If you’re planning a visit to the Galapagos, keep an eye out for these unique animals.
Sea Lions
Galapagos sea lions are known to be friendly, spending 70 percent of their time on the beach or close to shore — you can even snorkel with them.
Locust
The local species are called large painted locusts, named for their eight-centimeter-long bodies and the bright yellow stripes on their exoskeletons.
Penguins
Galapagos penguins are the only penguins found on and above the equator. They can be found on many of the islands, but the population has dwindled down to only 2,000, making them endangered.
Tortoise
These majestic creatures regularly surpass 100 years in age. They were also instrumental in Darwin’s theory of natural selection, with the different populations on each island having a unique size and shape of shell.
Boobies
Funny name aside, Galapagos boobies come in three varieties: red-footed, blue-footed and Nazca. Blue-footed boobies are the most commonly spotted on the shore.
Iguana
Darwin wasn’t a fan of iguanas, saying the land species “have a singularly stupid appearance,” and calling their marine cousins “clumsy lizards … imps of darkness.”
Finches
Like tortoises, the 15 species of Darwin’s finches inspired the scientist’s theory of evolution.
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