The Galapagos Islands, which lie off the west coast of Ecuador in South America are one of the worlds greatest wildlife conservation areas and are listed as a World Heritage site. Because of their isolation from the mainland – they are 1000 kilometres from the coast – they islands have evolved their own distinct plant and animal populations.
The rich and varied life on the islands inspired Charles Darwin when he visited the Galapagos in 1835 and were central to forming his ideas which eventually lead to his theory of the evolution of species.
The creatures that are unique to the Galapagos include the Galapagos giant tortoise, the marine iguanas, whales, dolphins, sea lions, fur seals, penguins, cormorants and many species of finches, called Darwin's finches. He described many of them and their characteristics in detail and these are still used as examples of the way separate species evolved to suit different habitats in an isolated island for biologists learning about evolution today.
The rich and varied life on the islands inspired Charles Darwin when he visited the Galapagos in 1835 and were central to forming his ideas which eventually lead to his theory of the evolution of species.
The creatures that are unique to the Galapagos include the Galapagos giant tortoise, the marine iguanas, whales, dolphins, sea lions, fur seals, penguins, cormorants and many species of finches, called Darwin's finches. He described many of them and their characteristics in detail and these are still used as examples of the way separate species evolved to suit different habitats in an isolated island for biologists learning about evolution today.