Isla Isabela, Galápagos
In July, I was fortunate to travel to Los Tuneles. This is an area on Isla Isabela that is mostly comprised of volcanic earth, cacti, and a variety of marine life in the shallow water.
Blue-Footed Boobies are only found in the Galápagos islands. Although there are also Red-Footed Boobies, the Blue ones are well-known for their vibrant blue feet. Unfortunately, the Red-Footed Boobies are extremely endangered due to the predation of the Galápagos hawk. However, Blue-Footed Boobies are not targeted by the hawks. Their blue feet come from the nutrients in the fresh fish they devour.
On the left, there is a male Booby courting the female by whistling, and the female on the right is honking back in response.
In Los Tuneles, there is an abundance of Green Pacific Sea Turtles. These turtles are very large due to the fact that there are very little predators in the area. Although they must deal with the harsh waves and sharp, volcanic rock, the tranquility and nutrients of Los Tuneles make each trip worth the struggle.
Mobula Rays swim together in unison in the calm waters of Los Tuneles.
Galápagos Penguins are the only penguins in the world that are found North of the Equator. They are some of the smallest penguins in the world. Despite their size, they swim very quickly. Like the flamingos, these penguins like to stay in groups to stay safe from predators.
Nurse sharks swim in a group together. These may look intimidating, but they are actually very small and avoided us as we snorkeled. They are not generally aggressive towards humans.
Can you spot the Pacific seahorse? The seahorses held on tightly to the underwater vegetation and swayed with the current. Male seahorses are responsible for giving birth to the offspring. They have a pouch near their tail where there is a placenta (acting as a uterus) to support the growing seahorses.
The above is a Whimbrel (which reminds me Sandpipers back home in New England). They are typically found in shallow water, and their diet consists of crabs, insects, and small fish. I enjoyed observing this one running along the beach in Puerto Villamil on Isla Isabela, Galápagos.