Galapagos

Islands

Written by Yakir P.

BU Reading and Writing Clinic

Summer 2016

Galapagos Archipelago

The oldest island in the archipelago is Espanola. I

Map of the Galapagos Islands

, I Scientists believe that this island is about 3-5

. million years old. There are many underwater mountains nearby this island. These mountains uses to be islands long before today's islands formed. The middle-aged islands are in the middle of the group, and have soil and support life. The youngest island, Fernandina, is in the northwest. It is about 7oo,ooo years old. There are still new

• I islands that are slowly forming underwater beyond

this island. Some of the Galapagos islands still have active volcanoes on them. More than 6o eruptions have occurred in the last 200 years. The most recent /

, I eruptions have occurred on the island of Isabela.

iow Were The Galapagos Island Made?

The Galapagos Islands are an archipelago made volcanic eruptions oyer millions of years. The lapagos Islands are on a tectonic plate called the ca th. First, hot mantle material near the Earth's

e rose to the crust and burns through the crust. er time, the volcano rises about the water. After island moves, Another island is then formed on · same hot spot. Tectonic plates move 2 inches a

T. As islands move away from the hot spot, they

•de. The oldest islands are made of eroded, tnded volcanoes. Therefore, it took millions of Lrs for the Galapagos to form.

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The Galapagos archipelgo sits on edge of the Nazca tedon1c plate, southeast at aproximately 3 to 4 em

A third & fourth island as the continues to rnove ()Ver th·e stat!•Onary

Geography of the Galapagos

The Galapagos islands are in an interesting spot cause at hit the islands. These currents affect the

imate of the Galapagos. From December to May, e Panama Current carries warm water south. 1en, the water joins with the South Equational

lrrent. These currents make the islands warm and iny during this time. From June to November, the Limholt current causes the islands to have cool d dry weather. The Cornwall current travels deep Lderwater along the equator. The cold water from is current surfaces close to the Galapagos, which ings food to many endemic animals. This image demonstrates the current around the Galapagos Island.

ow Did Plant and Animal Life Arrive?

Plant and animal life arrived on the Galapagos

.lands in many ways. One way plant and animal

ANIMALS &- - GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

fe arrived on the islands is through trade winds. rade winds are strong winds that come from the asy across North and South America. Many )ecies of birds traveled on these winds. Another

MAJUNI!CtiANA

ay plants and animals came to the Galapagos is

rough floods and storms. Animals would cling to trk and be blown away with the storm.

Habitats in the Galapagos

The Galapagos Islands are home to many unique 1

pecies of plants and animals. This is due to the fact

1at there are many different habitats on the

ralapagos. One habitat in the Galapagos is big, This is a sandy beach habitat in the Galapagos.

reen, grassy hills with lots of leaves, ferns and lants. A second habitat is lots of big sandy hills, hich make a good habitat for turtles - the hills are good place for turtles to build nests and lay eggs. nother habitat is muddy, shallow water. This is a )Od habitat for the Galapagos Giant Tortoise. A

urth

aking a good home for many species of fish.

astly, there are many shallow waters, which are a

)Od habitat for stingrays.

Above is a bird's eye view ofthe ocean habitats in the Galapagos.

The beautiful blue waters of the Galapagos Islands. A cute Galapagos Sea Lion is resting on rocks by the water.

Why Are the Galapagos Special?

The Galapagos Islands are unique for many reasons. One reason why the Galapagos is unique is because of it's animals and how they have adapted. Another reason the Galapagos is unique is because it is an archipelago. A third reason is that the Galapagos was made by a lot of volcanoes. A fourth reason why the Galapagos is unique is because the

Galapagos islands are very old - the youngest island is 7oo,ooo years old and that's still old!!

I

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Galapagos Great Frigate Bird

1e Frigate bird is special for many reasons.

rigate bird has a huge wingspan and can fly for

several days at a time and can sleep while it is

· eggs, jellyfish, and squid. :1e Frigate bird is the only sea bird with ficant color differences between the males and

les. The females have a big, red belly that can

=e but everything else is black. The males are y black with some green on the head and

le on the wings.

I You can commonly see the Frigate bird following

I fishing boats and looking for leftover fish. The best I

I time to see the Frigate bird is in March and April

: because this is mating season. During mating

: season, you will be able to see the big red stomach • of the female Frigate bird.

Galapagos Sea Lions

The Galapagos Sea Lion is unique for many asons. One reason the sea lion is unique is that e sea lion is the largest endemic animal of the alapagos. Another reason the sea lion is unique is at it has think fat layers of skin that protect it )m serious injury from predators. A third reason e sea lion is unique is that the male sea lions will ht

Galapagos Sea Lions live in coral reefs and sunbathe on rocks. Sea Lions hunt deep under water and go between 4o-1oo meters below the surface to get food. Baby sea lions are called pups and are always very playful. Pups often live in nursery pools to have protection from sharks and orcas.

Adult sea lions spend their days lazing at the beach. A female adult sea lion is called a cow. The cow stays with her pups for 5 days after they are born and then returns to the ocean to hunt for fish

The Blue Footed Boobie Hunting: They can dive for fish from more than 5

1aracteristics: The Blue Footed Boobie is known

ft. about the water. When they dive into the water,

r it's bright blue feet. It has a long neck, pointed

the Blue-Footed Booby has it's wings partially

ll, and brown wings. The body of the Boobie is

folded to catch fish and can catch flying fish still i

1ite and the head is brown and white.

the air. When there is plenty of food, the Blue

Footed Boobie is opportunistic and is quick to

ze: The Blue Footed Boobie is a little under 3

gather food. The Blue Footed Boobie fishes in

t inshore waters. To avoid competition with other

ighs

abitat: The Blue Footed Boobie lives in tropical

Ld subtropical islands of the Pacific Ocean. About Llf of all breeding pairs of the Blue Footed Boobie st on the Galapagos Islands. ow They Walk: The name boobie is thought to

•me from the Spanish word bobo, which means own. The Boobie has gigantic blue foot and walks

. a silly way.

types of Boobie's.

Mating: The mating ritual of blue footed boobies · unique because they preform a dance, pointing their wings and tails upwards. During mating rituals, male birds show off their feet to prospectiv mates a high stepping strut. They show off their feet with exaggerated footsteps, which means they want to show off their feet. The Blue Footed Boobil s interesting because it is one of the flue birds tha ays eggs on the ground.

The Galapagos Giant Tortoise

The Galapagos Islands are named after the

Galapagos Giant Tortoise. When explorers first

: came to the islands, they saw the Giant Torloises

and thought that their backs looked like Spanish

saddles. The Spanish word for saddle is

GALAPAGOS.

What it looks like: The Galapagos Giant Tortoise

that it is the largest living species of tortoise. It ca

weigh up to 4oo kg. (882 lbs.), and be as long as 1.8 meters (6 feet!)

Habitat: The Galapagos Giant Tortoise lives in

muddy, shallow marshes.

Endangered Animals: There are only between

2o,ooo and 2S,ooo Giant Galapagos Tortoises that

live on the islands today. People hunt the

Galapagos Tortoise for their oil and meat.

Communication: The Galapagos Tortoise

t: sses, flowers, and cactus fruits. Also, they are

e to reach taller plants and food due to longer

ks

vive up to a year without food or water. imal Interaction: Tiny birds hide in the folds.of

communicate through each other through groans

(mostly males) and through behavior- who stands

taller is able to defend itself and therefore, gets

territory and the females.

I

Tortoise's ,

ks. The Galapagos Finch cleans parasites from

skin of the tortoise.

Marine Iguana

The Marine Iguana is endemic to the Galapagos

1d is unique because it is the only type of Iguana Lat can swim in the water. Marine Iguanas have lapted to life in the Galapagos by using their tails 1 swim in order to catch food. They are able to

alk on rocks both above and under water by using

Leir claws to grip onto the rocks.

Before going into the water to catch food, arine Iguana raise their borly temperature by ying on rocks in the hot sun.. Then, Marine uanas gae. However, they can only stay underwater for minutes before the water gets to cold for them.

Marine Iguanas are about 4-5 feet in length when

Lll grown. This is as big as a human child!

The Galapagos Petrel

'le Galapagos Petrel is an endemic bird that is

ngered. The Galapagos Petrel make their nests

ky

rs, sink holes, or lava tunnels. The Galapagos 1 is the only native bird that nests in the upper

ns. Petrels are synchronized flyers, which

LS they do the same thing at the same time.

are also very fast fliers.

trel's to each other with loud screeches to warn of

er. Lastly, the Galapagos Petrel is related to

lbatross, another endemic bird of the

)agos.

Glossary

lapt: to adjust to changes --chipelago: a series of islands imate: the usual weather of a place Irrents (ocean): the flow of water, typically major an Nino: when warm, Northern currents shift South and rease

1demic: native; a species of animals found only in a cific 1dangered: in fear of becoming extinct 1uator: an imaginary circle around the earth that is lfway between the North and South poles )t Spot: an area of intense heat deep in the earth agma: melted rock; magma is called lava when it tches the surface of the earth ctonic

>Ve in different directions ·ade Winds: strong wind systems blowing in one ·ection

References Galapagos: The Islands that Changed the World compile

by Paul D. Stewart Galapagos Islands by Cynthia Kennedy Henzel Galapagos Tortoises by Conrad J. Storad

Galapagos: Islands of Change by Lynne Born Myers

Swimming with Sea Lions: And other Adventures in the Galapagos Islands by Ann McGovern

Unique Places by Judith Harper

Wonders of the World: Galapagos Islands by Erinn Banting

Treetop Publishing Inc., M ilwaukee, WI U.S.A., #-2705-020816