Galapagos
Ecuador's volcanic archipelago
The Galápagos are a volcanic archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, about 600 miles west of Ecuador.
The islands are famous for their unique wildlife—giant tortoises, marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies—and for inspiring Charles Darwin's theory of evolution after his 1835 visit.
We saw the Galápagos on a cruise.
Historic British survey ship
- finchesSmall seed-eating birds
- voyageJourney by sea
- naturalistStudent of nature
- expeditionOrganized exploratory journey
natural selection · adaptation · speciation · research · geology · biogeography · zoology · botany
Land-dwelling shelled reptile
- iguanaLarge crested American lizard
- finchSmall seed-eating songbird
- penguinFlightless aquatic southern bird
- albatrossLong-winged oceanic bird
sea lion · marine iguana · mockingbird · frigatebird · giant tortoise · hawk · fur seal · ray
Erupted liquid stone
- craterImpact or volcanic basin
- calderaCollapsed volcanic summit basin
- eruptionViolent sudden release
- basaltFine-grained volcanic stone
magma · geology · tectonics · cone · ash · fumarole · sulfur · shield volcano
Finest taxonomic rank
- nativeOriginating from a place
- uniqueOnly one exists
- evolvedChanged through successive generations
- isolatedSeparated from others
subspecies · prickly pear · flightless · divergence · biodiversity · fauna · flora · habitats
Land surrounded by water
- EcuadorCountry at zero latitude
- PacificEarth's vastest ocean
- equatorMidpoint circle of rotation
- remoteDistant or controller
marine reserve · national park · seafaring · navigation · nautical · colonization · geography · tropical
Surface swimming with breathing tube
- divingEntering water deliberately
- cruiseLeisurely ocean voyage
- expeditionOrganized exploratory journey
- conservationPreventing waste or loss
wildlife watching · zodiac · kayaking · hiking · photography · sustainable tourism · permit · trail
Beagle
Historic British survey ship
- finchesSmall seed-eating birds
- voyageJourney by sea
- naturalistStudent of nature
expedition · natural selection · adaptation · speciation · research · geology · biogeography · zoology · botany · ornithology
tortoise
Land-dwelling shelled reptile
- iguanaLarge crested American lizard
- finchSmall seed-eating songbird
- penguinFlightless aquatic southern bird
albatross · sea lion · marine iguana · mockingbird · frigatebird · giant tortoise · hawk · fur seal · ray · hammerhead
lava
Erupted liquid stone
basalt · magma · geology · tectonics · cone · ash · fumarole · sulfur · shield volcano · lava tube
species
Finest taxonomic rank
isolated · subspecies · prickly pear · flightless · divergence · biodiversity · fauna · flora · habitats · ecosystem
islands
Land surrounded by water
remote · marine reserve · national park · seafaring · navigation · nautical · colonization · geography · tropical · isolated
snorkeling
Surface swimming with breathing tube
- divingEntering water deliberately
- cruiseLeisurely ocean voyage
- expeditionOrganized exploratory journey
conservation · wildlife watching · zodiac · kayaking · hiking · photography · sustainable tourism · permit · trail · interpretation
- Biosphere ReservesYellowstone, Serengeti, Everglades, Sundarbans, Kruger
- Ecuador placesQuito, Guayaquil, Manta, Bolivar, Santo Domingo
- Marine SanctuariesFlorida Keys, Monterey Bay, Channel Islands, American Samoa, Hawaiian Islands
- South American ParksTorres del Paine, Tierra del Fuego
- wildlife islandsMadagascar, Komodo, Christmas Island, Chincoteague, bird sanctuaries
- islandsisland, isle, isles, islet, islets
- Galapagos IslandsEcuadorian Pacific archipelago
- Galapagos tortoiseHuge long-lived island reptile