The Galápagos Islands (Archipiélago de Colón in Spanish) are a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean which now belongs to Ecuador. The islands are famous for having many native animals, including giant tortoises, that are found nowhere else on Earth. These animals helped Charles Darwin towards his theory of evolution by natural selection after he visited the islands in 1835


97% of the islands are a national park, all except the inhabited parts. The Galápagos National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1978), a marine reserve (1980), and a biosphere reserve (1986).





Fresh Water Swimming in Puerto Ayora, Galapagos on the Island of Santa Cruz.



Sea lions in the Galápagos are somewhat tame, and very curious.





Blue-footed booby




The Galápagos land iguana basking on a rock



Grapsus grapsus,



Marine iguana


Darwins Arch