Isabela Island, the largest island of the Galápagos archipeggio, seemed to rise straight out of the water. The sedimentary rock cliffs were rusty brown, but were covered with life. Red and black crabs rested on the surface, while blue-footed boobies gracefully dived into the water to catch sardines. Baby nazca boobies peered out of their nests to see a small inflatable boat, known as a panga, bobbing in the water. Our guide, Christina, enthusiastically shared her knowledge of these animals to my family. This wildlife-viewing boat ride was our plan for the afternoon. But things changed. As things always change.
The sun was starting to set in the west, over the Bolivar Channel. The sea seemed calm, but a bird would occasionally skim the surface. My family and I watched the horizon intently. The Bolivar Channel was known for having the best marine wildlife viewings in the Galápagos. In the far distance, water was displaced. Mist flew in the air, forming the shape of a miniature fountain. Could it be a whale spout? Or was it just my imagination? Quietly, I told my sister Raley. However, it was not quiet enough. Christina heard and immediately started to scour the area with her binoculars. What if there was no marine life in the area? I was convinced I would die of embarrassment.
Suddenly, Christina dropped her binoculars.
“I see it! It’s a whale spout!”
Immediately, our panga raced off - full speed - to the location of the whale spout. However, as we inched closer to our
Florida is a very beautiful state with very beautiful sights and animals. Unfortunately, some of these animals that people love to look at aren’t even supposed to live in Florida. In this paper, we will learn about how Florida has creatures in their land and sea that shouldn’t be there because they were “dropped off” or “set free” from people who owned them just for how the animal looks. One of the animals we will learn about will be the green iguana who was liked and bought just for his color and his bold look.
When your life revolves around the sea as ours does, you hear stories. Stories of deep sea monsters, mermaids, giant squids right out of a Moby Dick novel, are just some of the tales we’ve heard. Most stories about mysterious creatures we shrug off as ‘not bloody likely’, but others enter the realm of real possibility.
The poop of the Galapagos Penguin fertilizes the land allowing for the healthy growth of plants which are consumed by other animals that live on the islands. If the Galapagos Penguin became extinct, it could possibly cause the extermination of local plants such as the “Ulva” leading to the extinction of the animals which rely on them. These include the “Parrot Fish”, Sally Lightfoot Crabs, “Five-Spotted Anthia” as well as many more species of land and sea
It is a fabulous place: when the tide is in, a wave-churned basin, creamy with foam, whipped by the combers that roll in from the whistling buoy on the reef. But when the tide goes out the little water world becomes quiet and lovely. The sea is very clear and the bottom becomes fantastic with hurrying, fighting, feeding, breeding animals”(57)
The tortoises weigh a lot, the crabs are extremely strong, and the fish come in many different shapes and sizes. This paragraph feels a lot like a zoo, filled with animals and wonders. The giant tortoises can weigh up to 250 kilograms. The giant tortoises are also herbivores. When they poop on the ground, a certain grass called “turtle turf” grows. The coconut crabs are another animal. Their claws are so strong, that they can crack coconuts. They can also be as long as a meter as well. They are usually out in the early morning and the evening because it isn’t as hot, which could make them cook in their shells. Fish and octopi live in the coral reefs. The fish can range from ferocious to snappers to butterfly fish. The giant groupers and the octopi lurk in every crack and crevice. The animals complete the island. From tortoises to crabs to birds. The turtles weigh 250 kilograms, and the crabs can crack coconuts. The animals are unique, beautiful, and interesting. If these animals don’t go extinct, Aldabra will be full of
Visiting the neighboring island of Santa Fe on one of our safaris is a day delving into the starting diversity of the Galapagos, both with its creatures and its geology. After breakfast we embark to the dock in Puerto Ayora, and take an hour and a half journey to the island.
“What's happing?” said on of the inhabitants. The whales that had the cities on their backs started to die, it had looked like they were suffocating.
As I searched around the forest for food, I could hear the birds chirping, the waves clashing, and leaves falling off the trees. When I approached the shore, I spotted three unusual objects in the sea. I waited a while as the objects became visible; they were three massive ships, so immense that no one could believe I saw them. My heart accelerated and I scurried back to my village to warn the chief about my sightings.
As more tourist being visiting Panama and the surrounding islands, the pygmy sloths are at an increase risk of endangerment. Due to the fact that this species of sloth can only be found on the Isla Escudo de Verguas it is imperative that the government of Panama recognizes the endangerment of the pygmy sloth and places more security on the island. The fate of the pygmy sloth depends largely on whether or not additional steps are taken to protect Escudo de Veraguas. The island’s current protection status leaves open the possibility of future development and is vague as to who may develop it. Declaring the island a wildlife refuge or national park would protect not only the pygmy sloths, but also the other unique species found on the island.
Rays of pale sunlight pass through a gradient of cerulean blue. The wide-open space seems almost eerie until a humpback whale gently swimming sings his song, and the space fills with wonder, until a disturbance arises.
The salty smell of Ecuador's ocean water assaults my nose. A slight gale whips my hair around my head as the ocean breeze hits me in full force. Cool blue water is on my right, the unmistakable color and texture of the sand to my front and back, and to my left, mountains, tall and green as they rise into the azure sky. As I slowly walk along the beach, contemplating what just happened, a light fog descends. Then and there, my life changes. I had no idea the effect that one word could have on my future.
While exploring the intriguing domain, I stared wide-eyed in the dim rooms, my face was illuminated by the glowing tanks while fish and other marine life gawked at me. It was as if they wanted me to join them or aid them to escape their aquatic prison. It was depressing to be so close to them, to be only separated by glass, but unable to save them. Many animals could have been violently captured from their homes with no hope of ever being reunited with their true families. The stress of hearing to kids crying, people clapping, loud music,
2 I went to bed early last night and did not feel very well during the night we had a pretty high wind with rain and thunder & lightning running close to land this morning course north of East, at 9 o’clock we passed two small Lodges of rock one on the right & the other on the left of the ship land both main and Islands close on the left of the ship into port arrived In port about 7 P.M. Showers of rain as we came in which made it so dark there was but little to be seen, we lay there till 2 o'clock on the 3rd when the small steamer came along side of us and took us off to Panama distant about 5 miles from where we anchored. We got to Panama about 4 o'clock so dark we could see nothing took the cars immediately for Aspinwall when it came daylight we saw some fine sights the Chagres river was very muddy.
The Galapagos Islands are an incredible discovery, a scientific Eden of the Earth, made famous for being the place where anthropologist Charles Darwin had his “eureka moment.” The archipelago is a geographic anomaly and a flagship for scientific discovery and conservation. In such an extraordinary environment, there are bound to be unique species, not only do penguins exist in the equatorial environment, but iguanas in the Galapagos have evolved to live in marine conditions. The islands are known for their unique isolation and for the high percentage of endemic flora and fauna species. However, the extensive isolation from continental landmass yields a challenging rhythm of life for
In the distance, two turtles, representing a mountain, stare off into the distance, as if they were people watching the beautiful sunset, which fell in front of them. They slip into the water and continue on with their lives. For one hundred million years turtles have been drifting at sea or bathing in the sun. One hundred million years later, they became a predominant animal in the ocean and a popular tourist attraction in many tropical places. People from all over travel to these tropical places in order to catch a glimpse of a wild turtle, rather then seeing them at their local zoo. Not only are these beautiful animals a source of entertainment for tourists, but they serve as a staple in ocean wildlife. They are one of the few large species