Galapagos Islands information

Every island in the Galapagos is different one from the other and all this is due to how they were formed. If the 4,600 million years of Earth´s history will be simulated in 24 hours, the Galapagos Islands had been formed in the last two minutes of that day. The 19 islands and 219 islets were created by successive volcanic eruptions over a hot spot located on the seafloor of the Nazca Plate. The first of them emerged in the middle of the Pacific Ocean about 5 million years ago. The islands are settled on the Nazca Plate and move about 5 centimeters a year eastward. That is why the oldest islands of the archipelago are far about 200 kilometers east from the youngest islands that are still above the hot spot.

Explore the Enchanted Islands

1) Isabela Island. 2) North Seymour Island. 3) South Plaza Island. 4) Santa Fe Island. 5) Santa cruz Island. 6) Bartolome Island. 7) Mosquera Island. 8) Santiago Island. 9) Rabida Island. 10) Floreana Island. 11) Genovesa Island. 12) Española Island. 13) San Cristobal Island. 14) Fernandina Island.

Whales - Mammals | Galapagos Islands Animals and Wildlife

Galapagos whales are mammals covered with a thick layer of fat that keeps them warm and, at the same time, provides them with the energy needed for migratory journeys. There are about 24 different species of whales that have been identified in the Galapagos. There are mainly two big groups of whales: the ones with teeth and the ones that filter the water with baleen.

The baleen whales are the biggest mammals on earth and all six species of rorqual whales—a subgroup of baleen whales—are found in the Galapagos. They feed by swallowing big amounts of water and straining plankton with their comblike bones in their mouths. The blue whale, minke whale, humpback whale, sei whale, Bryde’s whale, and fin whale are in this group.

On the other hand, dolphins (which include the orca) and sperm whales are in the toothed group and almost all of them feed on fish. They have developed hunting techniques that clearly remark their intelligence.

Most whales in the Galapagos pass through as they migrate. One of the most commonly seen whales in the archipelago is the humpback whale, easily recognizable as it is the one that jumps out of the water and dives on its back. Whales are easily spotted when you are sailing on a cruise or traveling in a boat around the islands. They can mainly be seen during the cooler months from July to December.