A Guide to the Wildlife of the Galápagos Islands
The Galápagos is home to a remarkable variety of wildlife, including species you won’t find anywhere else. Here, we have created this guide to help you plan your next wildlife experience, knowing exactly where to spot creatures like marine iguanas, giant tortoises and blue-footed boobies.
The wildlife of the Galápagos Islands is precisely what has made this archipelago such a legendary place. This is where Charles Darwin began to form his theory of natural selection after studying the distinctive creatures that inhabit the islands. Today it’s among the world’s best destinations for wildlife safaris and luxury cruises with a stunning array of animals to observe in the wild.
Notable Galápagos wildlife ranges from giant tortoises and tiny penguins to blue-footed boobies and marine iguanas. Our travel designers are experts at designing experiences that allow you to spot as many of these species as possible, while also trying to find ways to reduce each trip’s impact on the islands’ exceptional ecosystems.
Here’s our guide to the essential animals to see in the Galápagos Islands.
Galápagos marine life
Considering that the Galápagos is made up of more than a hundred islands, it’s no surprise that many of the archipelago’s most amazing animals are found in the water. There are hundreds of fish species to see on snorkelling or diving expeditions, including several types of shark. Notable species include the Galápagos shark, whale shark, scalloped hammerhead shark, blacktip shark and whitetip reef shark.
There are also plenty of fascinating marine mammals in the Galápagos. Some of the most famous are the charismatic Galápagos sea lions, which are known for their impressive underwater acrobatics, and Galápagos fur seals, which you’re most likely to see on land. Then of course there are the cetaceans, including bottlenose dolphins, humpback whales, sperm whales, orcas and 20 other species that either live in or migrate to the archipelago.
Our travel designer Dan recommends whale watching for honeymoons and couples, and snorkelling excursions for family trips.
Reptiles of the Galápagos
The most recognisable reptile of the islands has to be the giant tortoise. This slow-moving animal can grow up to 400 kilograms (882 pounds) and live for over a century. There are two types of Galápagos tortoise: domed and saddle-backed, which differ according to shell shape and habitat. One of the best places to see them is Montemar Eco Luxury Villas, which is set in the middle of a rewilded tortoise habitat on Santa Cruz Island.
On San Cristóbal, you can also visit breeding centres such as Jacinto Gordillo and David Rodriguez, which support the conservation of giant tortoises through careful habitat management and education.
Another highly unique species is the marine iguana: the world’s only lizard species that has evolved to thrive in the sea and on land. These reptiles have several interesting characteristics as a result. Their black skin helps to regulate body temperature by absorbing sunlight, and they expel excess salt through their snouts. During the mating season, male iguanas adopt vibrant hues ranging from red to green, with specific colours varying by island.
You can also see the Galápagos green turtle both on land and in the water. This is the only sea turtle species that nests in the islands. Although they’re present year round, January–March is the best time to see green turtles nesting, and April–June offers the highest chances of seeing their eggs hatch.
Other interesting Galápagos reptiles include the lava lizard, which you can see all over the archipelago, hanging out in the sun or participating in ‘press-up contests’ that signify territorial disputes between males. One of the lava lizard’s predators is the racer snake, which also hunts iguanas, rodents and, in the case of one species, marine fish.
Birdlife in the Galápagos
Some of the Galápagos’ most well-known animals are avians. There’s the famous blue-footed booby, which does indeed have bright blue feet, along with the red-footed booby (an equally descriptive name) and the Nazca booby, which has grey feet and an orange beak. These birds’ names come from the Spanish word bobo (meaning silly or dumb), referring to their general clumsiness and supposed obliviousness to threats.
If you’ve ever dreamed of seeing penguins in the wild, the Galápagos should be at the top of your list. This is where you’ll find one of the world’s rarest and smallest penguin species, which is also the only one that lives north of the equator. If you’re lucky enough to spot them underwater, you can watch them chase down fish at incredible speeds. Swimming with these one-of-a-kind birds is one of the best things to do in the Galápagos.
A moment of courtship
From our experts
If you’re lucky, you might see a blue-footed booby perform its courtship dance – a ritual where the male lifts his bright blue feet one after the other to impress his mate. It’s one of those small, beautiful moments you carry home with you.
Darwins’ finches are also among the islands’ most significant birds. This group of similar – but distinct – bird species helped to inform Darwin’s writings in On the Origin of Species. They exemplify how one species can evolve into various species over time, with each one developing its own unique characteristics according to its environment.
Other endemic species include the rare lava gull, which is highly territorial, and the flightless cormorant, which dives into the ocean to hunt. You can also see flamingos, mockingbirds, owls, hawks and many other fascinating birds on excursions throughout the islands. We can arrange private birdwatching tours with excellent guides who will adapt the experience to your interests.
Ask the expert
The Galápagos Islands were first recorded under a name inspired by their giant tortoises. Although there is some debate about the exact origin of the name, galápago seems to have meant ’tortoise’ in 16th-century Spanish (the language spoken by the first navigators who found them).
The official name of the islands is actually the Archipelago of Columbus (Archipiélago de Colón), but they’re widely known as the Galápagos Islands (Islas Galápagos) in both English and Spanish. Another early nickname was the Enchanted Isles (Islas Encantadas) due to the challenging sailing conditions that navigators faced in their attempts to reach them.
The Galápagos Islands were created by volcanic activity. The archipelago is located above a shifting tectonic plate and a ‘hotspot’ where magma pushes up through the Earth’s surface, causing volcanic eruptions. The islands themselves are the result of millions of years of these eruptions. Some of them, including Fernandina and Isabela, are still volcanically active today.
Yes; around 30,000 people live in the Galápagos Islands. Only four islands are permanently inhabited – Santa Cruz, Isabela, Floreana and San Cristobal – although Baltra is sometimes also considered inhabited because of its airport and military base. Santa Cruz has the highest human population, with most residents living in the city of Puerto Ayora and working in tourism.
The Galápagos Islands are incredibly important from an ecological and scientific standpoint. They contain some of the world’s best-preserved ecosystems and immense biodiversity, including many endemic species that aren’t found anywhere else on Earth. This significance also extends beyond the islands themselves to the marine ecosystems surrounding them.
In 1959, Galápagos National Park was created to help protect the islands and their wildlife, covering 97% of the archipelago’s land. There’s also the Galápagos Marine Reserve, which encompasses over 50,000 square miles (130,000 square kilometres) of the surrounding ocean. The islands and marine reserve are a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Considering all of this, it’s vital to minimise the negative environmental impacts of tourism as much as possible. Although it’s not feasible to visit without affecting the islands at all, we do everything we can to support local conservation efforts and collaborate with hotels and other providers that align with our Positive Impact Principles.
Ready to start planning?
Whatever you want from your next wildlife adventure, our travel designers are ready to help.
Explore the Galápagos Islands
Learning about the incredible wildlife of the Galápagos is just the beginning.
If you want to know more, we have curated a guide to the best things to do in the Galápagos, featuring experiences that bring you closer to these remarkable creatures. You can also explore our example trip, which includes visits to giant tortoise breeding centres, opportunities to spot blue-footed boobies and other extraordinary wildlife across Ecuador and the islands.
