Galapagos National Park

Localization

Group of islands 1000 km west of Ecuador (Nos. 9 and 11 in the map on Ecuador introducing page)

Access

By air or by boat

Characteristic

70 000 km²; 13 large islands (larger than 10 km²), 6 small islands and 107 islets and cliffs of volcanic origin. Islands are in fact summits of submarine volcanoes - the highest point is the summit of Wolf Volcano (1707 m). Human settlements can be found on 4 big islands only. Still very frequent volcanic activities - many phenomenons connected with this activity. Big differences in climate and ecosystems among islands influenced especially by several sea streams. Typical ecosystems: volcanic biotopes, sea and coastal ecosystems, mangroves, desert and semi-desert biotopes, mountainous steppe (pampa), dry forest and bush, cloud forest. These islands are extremely important by their very long time isolation, Galapagos never have been connected with a continent - proofs of animal species evolution possessed by Ch. Darwin. Absolutely unique fauna with extraordinary high ratio of endemic species often restricted to one island only. Large marine reserve is included into Galapagos national park.

Fauna + Flora

Mammals:

Bats - True Bats (Vespertilionidae): Hoary Bat; Lasiurus brachyotis

Rodents - Mice (Muridae): Fernandina Galapagos Mouse; Indefatigable Galapagos Mouse; Nesoryzomys narboroughi; Galapagos Rice Rat

Seals, Sea-Lions and Walruses - Eared Seals (Otariidae): California Sea Lion; Galapagos Fur Seal

Whales - Dolphins (Delphinidae): Indian Ocean Bottlenose Dolphin; Long-beaked Common Dolphin; Killer Whale; Short-finned Pilot Whale

- Sperm Whales (Physeteridae): Sperm Whale

- Finner Whales (Balaenopteridae): Blue Whale; Fin Whale; Humpback Whale

Birds:

Sphenisciformes - Penguins (Spheniscidae): Galapagos Penguin (endemic)

Podicipediformes - Grebes (Podicipedidae): Pied-billed Grebe

Tubenoses - Storm Petrels (Hydrobatidae): Band-rumped Storm-Petrel; Black Storm-Petrel; Leach's Storm-Petrel; Markham´s Storm-Petrel; Polynesian Storm-Petrel; Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel; White-bellied Storm-Petrel; White-faced Storm-Petrel; White-vented Storm-Petrel

- Fulmars, Prions, Shearwaters and Gadfly Petrels (Procellariidae): Southern Fulmar; Antarctic Giant-Petrel; Hall's Giant Petrel; Black Petrel; Cape Petrel; Defilippe's Petrel; Galapagos Petrel (endemic); Gould's Petrel; Mottled Petrel; Antarctic Prion; Audubon´s Shearwater (endemic); Flesh-footed Shearwater; Pink-footed Shearwater; Sooty Shearwater; Wedge-tailed Shearwater

- Albatrosses (Diomedeaidae): Black-browed Albatross; Black-footed Albatross; Wandering Albatross; Waved Albatross (endemic)

Pelecaniformes - Tropic Birds (Phaethonidae): Red-billed Tropicbird; Red-tailed Tropicbird

- Frigate Birds (Fregatidae): Great Frigatebird; Magnificent Frigatebird

- Gannets and Boobies (Sulidae): Brown Booby; Blue-footed Booby; Masked Booby; Nazca Booby; Red-footed Booby

- Cormorants and Shags (Phalacrocoarcidae): Flighless Cormorant (endemic)

- Pelicans (Pelecanidae): Brown Pelican

Ciconiiformes - Herons, Egrets and Bitterns (Ardeidae): Cattle Egret; Little Egret; Snowy Egret; Great White Egret; Great Blue Heron; Little Blue Heron; Galapagos Heron; Striated Heron; Tricolored Heron; Black-crowned Night-Heron; Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

Phoenicopteriformes - Flamingos (Phoenicopteridae): Caribbean Flamingo

Anseriformes - Gees, Swans and Ducks (Anatidae): Masked Duck; White-cheeked Pintail; Blue-winged Teal; Cinnamon Teal; Black-bellied Whistling-Duck

Birds of Prey - Ospreys (Pandionidae): Osprey

- Hawks, Eagles, Buzzards, Kites and Old World Vultures (Accipitridae): Galapagos Hawk (endemic)

- Falcons and Caracaras (Falconidae):  Peregrine Falcon

Gruiformes - Rails, Crakes, Coots and Gallinules (Rallidae): American Coot; Paint-billed Crake; Purple Gallinule; Common Moorhen; Galapagos Rail (endemic); Sora

Charadriiformes - Avocets (Recurvirostridae): Black-necked Stilt

- Wading Birds (Scolopacidae): Short-billed Dowitcher; Hudsonian Godwit; Marbled Godwit; Red Knot; Grey Phalarope; Red-necked Phalarope; Wilson's Phalarope; Sanderling; Baird's Sandpiper; Buff-breasted Sandpiper; Least Sandpiper; Pectoral Sandpiper; Semipalmated Sandpiper; Solitary Sandpiper; Spotted Sandpiper; Stilt Sandpiper; Western Sandpiper; White-rumped Sandpiper; Surfbird; Wandering Tattler; Black Turnstone; Ruddy Turnstone; Whimbrel; Willet; Greater Yellowlegs; Lesser Yellowlegs

- Plovers (Charadriidae): Tawny-throated Dotterel; Lesser Golden-Plover; Pacific Golden-Plover; Killdeer; Black-bellied Plover; Semipalmated Plover; Wilson's Plover

- Oystercatchers (Haematopodidae): American Oystercatcher

- Skuas and Jaegers (Stercorariidae): Long-tailed Jaeger; Parasitic Jaeger; Great Skua; South Polar Skua; Pomarine Skua

- Gulls (Laridae): Bonaparte's Gull; Franklin's Gull; Grey-headed Gull; Kelp Gull; Laughing Gull; Lava Gull (endemic); Ring-billed Gull; Swallow-tailed Gull (endemic)

- Terns (Sternidae): Brown Noddy; Black Tern; Common Tern; Elegant Tern; Royal Tern; Sooty Tern; Common White Tern

Columbiformes - Pigeons and Doves (Columbidae): Eared Dove; Galapagos Dove (endemic)

Strigiformes - Owls (Strigidae): Short-eared Owl

- Barn and Grass Owls (Tytonidae): Barn Owl

Cuculiformes - Cuckoos, Anis, Coucals and Roadrunners (Cuculidae): Smooth-billed Ani (introduced); Black-billed Cuckoo; Dark-billed Cuckoo

Goatsuckers - Nightjars (Caprimulgidae): Common Nighthawk

Apodiformes - Swifts (Apodidae): Chimney Swift

Coraciiformes - Kingfishers (Alcedinidae): Belted Kingfisher

Perching Birds - Tyrants (Tyrannidae): Large-billed Flycatcher (endemic); Vermilion Flycatcher; Eastern Kingbird

- Swallows and Martins (Hirundinidae): Purple Martin; Southern Martin (endemic); Bank Swallow; Barn Swallow; Cliff Swallow

- Mockingbirds, Catbirds and Thrashers (Mimidae): Charles Mockingbird (endemic); Galapagos Mockingbird (endemic - critically endangered); Hood Mockingbird (endemic); San Cristóbal Mockingbird (endemic)

- Waxwings (Bombycillidae): Cedar Waxwing

- Tanagers (Thraupidae): Scarlet Tanager; Summer Tanager

- Blackbirds, Orioles and Cowbirds (Icteridae): Bobolink

- Cardinals and Grosbeaks (Cardinalidae): Indigo Bunting; Rose-breasted Grosbeak

- Vireos (Vireonidae): Red-eyed Vireo

- Warblers (Parulidae): Blackpoll Warbler; Yellow Warbler

- Buntings, American Sparrows, Juncos, etc. (Emberizidae): Darwin´s Finches: Common Cactus-Finch (endemic); Large Cactus-Finch (endemic); Mangrove Finch (endemic - critically endangered); Vegetarian Finch (endemic); Warbler Finch (endemic); Woodpecker Finch (endemic); Large Ground-Finch (endemic); Medium Ground-Finch (endemic); Sharp-beaked Ground-Finch (endemic); Small Ground-Finch (endemic); Large Tree-Finch (endemic); Medium Tree-Finch (endemic); Small Tree-Finch (endemic)

Reptiles:

Lizards and Snakes - Iguanas (Iguanidae): Barrington Island Iguana (Santa Fe Island only); Galapagos Land Iguana; Galapagos Marine Iguana

- Neotropical Ground Lizards ( Tropiduridae): Lava Lizards (Microlophus albemariensis and Tropidurus spp.)

- Geckoes (Gekkonidae): Mourning Gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris - introduced); Phyllodactylus galapagensis, Ph. reissi (introduced), Ph. tuberculosus (introduced)

- Colubrids (Colubridae): Alsophis dorsalis and A. slevini; Philodryas biserialis

Chelonia - Sea Turtles (Cheloniidae): Galapagos Green Turtle; Atlantic Hawksbill Turtle

- Tortoises (Testudinidae): Galapagos Tortoise (with 20 subspecies on different islands)

Non-cartilaginous Fishes:

Batoidei - Mantas (Myliobatidae): Pacific Cownose Ray (Rhinoptera steindachneri); Spotted Eagle Ray (Aetobatus narinari); Manta Ray (Manta birostris)

Orectolobiformes - Whale Sharks (Rhincodontidae): Whale Shark

Carcharhiniformes - Requiem Sharks (Carcharhinidae): Black Fin Reef Shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus); White Tip Reef Shark (Triaenodon obesus); Black Fin Shark (Carcharhinus limbatus); Blackspot Shark (Carcharhinus falciformis); Galapagos Shark (Carcharinus galapagensis)

- Hammerhead Sharks (Sphyrnidae): Common Smooth Hammerhead Shark (Sphyrna zygaena)

Fish:

Clupeiformes - Herrings, Shads, Sardines and allies (Clupeidae): Galapagos Thread Herring (Opisthonema berlangai)

Anguilliformes - Morays (Muraenidae): Finespotted Moray (Gymnothorax dovii); Reticulated Moray (Gymnomuraena zebra)

- Conger Eels (Congridae): Garden Eel  (Heteroconger cobra)

- Snake Eels and Worm Eels (Ophichtidae): Snake Eel (Callechelys galapagensis); Equatorial Eel (Apterichtus equatorialis)

Aulopiformes - Lizardfishes (Synodontidae):  Variegated Lizadrfish (Synodus variegatus)

Ophidiiformes - Livebearing Brotulas (Bythitidae): Ogilbia galapagosensis

Syngnathiformes - Trumpetfishes (Aulostomidae): Chinese Trumpetfish (Aulostomus chinensis)

- Cornetfishes (Fistulariidae): Smooth Flutemouth (Fistularia commersonii)

Gobiesociformes - Clingfihes (Gobiesocidae): Galapagos Clingfish (Arcos poecilophthalmos)

Perch-likes - Sea Basses and Groupers (Serranidae): Leather Bass (Dermatolepis dermatolepis); Flag Cabrilla (Epinephelus labriformis)

- Damselfishes and Anemonefishes (Pomacentridae): Galapagos Gregory (Stegastes arcifrons); Banded Humbug (Dascyllus aruanus); Pacific Sergeant Major (Abudefduf troschelii)

- Gobies (Gobiidae): Galapagos Blue-banded Goby (Lythrypnus gilberti)

- Croakers and Drums (Sciaenidae):  Galapagos Croaker (Odontoscyon eurymesops); Galapagos Drum (Umbrina galapagorum)

- Bigeyes (Priacanthidae): Balarton (Heteropriacanthus cruentatus)

- Jacks, Amberjacks and Pompanos (Carangidae): Blue Trevally (Pseudocaranx dentex)

- Sea Chubs (Kyphosidae): Chopa (Kyphosus elegans)

- Wrasses (Labridae): Galapagos razorfish (Xyrichthys victori); Green Moon Wrasse (Thalassoma lutescens)

- Angelfishes (Pomacanthidae): White-banded Angelfish (Holacanthus Passer) 

- Labrisomids (Labrisomidae): Galapagos Blenny  (Starksia galapagensis)

- Surgeonfishes and Unicornfishes (Acanthuridae): Dusky Sailfin Tang (Zebrasoma xanthurum)

- Jawfishes (Opistognathidae): Galapagos Jawfish (Opistognathus galapagensis)

Flatfishes - Lefteye Flounders (Bothidae): Pacific leoprd Flounder (Bothus leopardinus)

Tetraodontiformes - Triggerfishes (Balistidae): Black Durgon (Melichthys niger)

- Porcupinefishes and Burrfishes (Diodontidae): Pacific Burrfish (Chilomycterus affinis)

- Molas or Ocean Sunfishes (Molidae): Giant Sunfish (Mola mola)

Arthropods:

Crayfish - Crabs (Cancridae): Sally Lightfoot Crab (Grapsus grapsus)

Plants:

560 indigenous plant species, 40% of them are endemics

Ferns:

Cyatheales - Tree Ferns (Cyatheaceae):  Tree Fern (Cyathea weatherbyana)

Polypodiales - Dennstaedtiaceae: Bracken Fern (Pteridium aquilinum)

Dicotyledons:

Caryophyllales - Aizoaceae:  Shoreline Seapurslanes (Sesuvium edmonstonei and S. portulacastrum)

- Amaranthaceae: Joyweeds (Alternanthera echinocephala and A. filifolia)

- Chenopodiaceae: Saltbush (Atriplex halimus and A. peruviana)

- Nyctaginaceae: Catchbirdtree (Pisonia floribunda); Cryptocarpus pyriformis

- Cactaceae: Brachycereus nesioticus; Jasminocereus thouarsii; Pricklypears (Opuntia echios, O. helleri and O. megasperma)

- Molluginaceae:  Mollugo (Mollugo pentaphylla)

Malvales - Malvaceae: South American Cotton (Gossypium barbadense) and Cotton (Gossypium klotzschianum)

- Sterculiaceae: Waltheria ovata 

Rosales - Rosaceae: Blackberry (Rubus adenotrichis) - introduced species

- Rhamnaceae: Scutia pauciflora

Fabales - Fabaceae: Acacias (Acacia insulae-jacobi and A. rorudiana); Gum Arabic Tree (Acacia nilotica); Mesquite (Prosopis juliflora); Parkinsonea aculeata; Porknut (Acacia macracantha); Yellow Nicker (Caesalpinia bonduc) - introduced species

- Polygalaceae: Polygala (Polygala sp.)

Zygophyllales - Zygophyllaceae:  Punturevine (Tribulus cistoides)

Malpighiales - Linaceae: Floreana Flax (Linum cratericola)

- Passionflowers (Passifloraceae): Fetid Passionflower (Passiflora foetida)

- mangroves (Rhizophoraceae): American Mangrove (Rhizophora mangle)

- Euphorbiaceae: Croton (Croton scouleri); Manchineel (Hippomane mancinella); Sandmats (Chamaesyce amplexicaulis and Ch. punctulata)

Celastrales - Celastraceae: Mayten (Maytenus octogona)

Sapindales - Simaroubaceae: Castela galapageia

- Rutaceae: Lime Pricklyash (Zanthoxylum fagara)

- Burseraceae: Bursera graveolens

Myrtales - Myrtaceae: Common Guava (Psidium guajava) - introduced - and Guava (Psidium galapageium)

- Melastomataceae: Johnyberry (Miconia robinsoniana)

- Combretaceae: Button Mangrove (Conocarpus erectus); White Mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa)

Boraginales - Boraginaceae: Crinklemats (Tiquilia darwinii a T. nesiotica); Salt Heliotrope (Heliotropium curassavicum)

- Ehretiaceae: Cordia lutea 

Lamiales - Verbenaceae: Glorybower (Clerodendrum molle); Bush Lantana (Lantana camara - introduced species) and Lantana (Lantana peduncularis)

- Mangroves (Avicenniaceae): Black Mangove (Avicennia germinans)

Solanales - Solanaceae: Cacabus miersii; Desert-Thorn (Lycium minimum); Grabowskia boerhaaviaefolia; Tomato (Lycopersicon cheesmanii)

- Convolvulaceae: Beach Morning-Glory (Ipomoea imperati)

- Cuscutaceae: Dodder (Cuscuta acuta and C. gymnocarpa)

Asterales - Asteraceae:  Cutleaf Daisy (Erigeron compositus); Darwiniothamnus sp.; Lecocarpus lecocarpoides, L. leptolobus and L. pinnatifidus; Scalesia affinis, S. atractyloides, S. gordilloi, S. stewartii and S. villosa

Monocotyledons:

Poales - Grasses (Poaceae): Elephant Grass (Pennisetum purpureum) - introduced species; Kikuyugrass (Pennisetum clandestinum) - introduced species; Signalgrasses (Urochloa multiculma and U. fusca)

Possible activities

Activities on most of islands are strictly restricted - walking only along marked trails allowed. Local guided walks are obligatory.

Swimming, snorkelling, diving.

Note

Pictures source - Photogallery of Albatros Travel and Expeditions

National park is on the List of World Natural Heritage UNESCO

Access is administratively restricted - entrance fee to the islands 100 USD cash, journey must be prepared long time in advance.