Galapagos Islands
Equatorial tortoise archipelago
The Galapagos Islands are a volcanic archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, about 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador.
The islands are famous for their unique wildlife—giant tortoises, marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies—which evolved in isolation and inspired Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection after his 1835 visit.
We saw sea lions sunbathing on the Galapagos beaches.
Interconnected organisms and surroundings
- biodiversityRange of life forms
- protectedKept from harm
- national parkProtected land for conservation
- UNESCOCultural arm of UN
marine reserve · habitat · endangered · preservation · sustainable tourism · ecotourism · park rangers · breeding programs
- expeditionOrganized exploratory journey
- discoveryAct of finding something
- seafaringTraveling by ocean vessel
- navigatorsThose who direct travel
charts · logbook · naturalist · survey · 1835 · scientific expedition · observation · documentation
British naturalist, species theorist
- natural selectionDifferential reproductive success
- adaptationFitting to new conditions
- speciationFormation of distinct species
- divergenceSeparation from common origin
common ancestor · survival · variation · inheritance · evidence · theory · scientific discovery
Enormous land chelonian
- marine iguanaSea-foraging Galápagos reptile
- finchesSmall seed-eating birds
- mockingbirdsBirds that imitate sounds
- mangrovesSalt-water coastal trees
endemic species · wildlife sanctuary · breeding colonies · nesting sites
Very small landmasses
- volcanic chainConnected line of volcanoes
- Santa CruzCalifornia coastal university city
- IsabelaGalápagos archipelago's largest landmass
- EspañolaGalápagos island, southernmost major
seascape · maritime · oceanic · insular · lagoon · reefs · strait · coastline
Erupted liquid stone
- basaltFine-grained volcanic stone
- craterImpact or volcanic basin
- calderaCollapsed volcanic summit basin
- eruptionViolent sudden release
magma · geothermal · lava fields · shield volcanoes · cinder cones · volcanic rock · ash · fumarole
ecosystem
Interconnected organisms and surroundings
- biodiversityRange of life forms
- protectedKept from harm
- national parkProtected land for conservation
UNESCO · marine reserve · habitat · endangered · preservation · sustainable tourism · ecotourism · park rangers · breeding programs · invasive species
HMS Beagle
- expeditionOrganized exploratory journey
- discoveryAct of finding something
- seafaringTraveling by ocean vessel
navigators · charts · logbook · naturalist · survey · 1835 · scientific expedition · observation · documentation · mapping
Darwin
British naturalist, species theorist
- natural selectionDifferential reproductive success
- adaptationFitting to new conditions
- speciationFormation of distinct species
divergence · common ancestor · survival · variation · inheritance · evidence · theory · scientific discovery
giant tortoise
Enormous land chelonian
- marine iguanaSea-foraging Galápagos reptile
- finchesSmall seed-eating birds
- mockingbirdsBirds that imitate sounds
mangroves · endemic species · wildlife sanctuary · breeding colonies · nesting sites
islets
Very small landmasses
- volcanic chainConnected line of volcanoes
- Santa CruzCalifornia coastal university city
- IsabelaGalápagos archipelago's largest landmass
Española · seascape · maritime · oceanic · insular · lagoon · reefs · strait · coastline · shoreline
lava
Erupted liquid stone
- basaltFine-grained volcanic stone
- craterImpact or volcanic basin
- calderaCollapsed volcanic summit basin
eruption · magma · geothermal · lava fields · shield volcanoes · cinder cones · volcanic rock · ash · fumarole · sulfur
- Latin America SitesMachu Picchu, Chichen Itza, Tikal, Cusco, Teotihuacan
- South American IslandsTierra del Fuego, Trinidad, Tobago, Aruba, Bonaire
- island parks
- islandsisle, isles, islet, islets, atoll
- ecosystemsrainforest, forest, desert, jungle, ocean
- Latin AmericaArgentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Cuba
Galapagos IslandsLos Angeles
Southern California metropolis
strip mine · urban sprawl · Chernobyl · landfill · Beijing