Galapagos Sea Lions

Galapagos Sea Lions  are agile mammals that get their food from the water and are known for being very playful.

They live on parts of Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica but only breed on Galapagos.

Sea lions grow up to 8 ft. long and can weigh 880 pounds.

The sea lions are carnivorous mammals that normally feed off of sardines. 

Being one of the few types of animals that is playful with humans they are unique in many ways; they are similar to dogs in that have loud barks, they also have whiskers, they live in large "packs" known as harems, and are known as the welcoming party of Galapagos.

Galapagos sea lions have become threatened over time because the sardines they eat have declined in numbers, some sea lions fail to reproduce, and they are preyed upon by killer whales and sharks.

The Galapagos Tortoise

Galapago is spanish for giant tortoise.

Galapagos tortoises are very well known for being the longest living vertebrate, averaging over 100 years.  The oldest on record lived to be 150 years.  The galapagos tortoises are also known for being the worlds largest tortoises with some exceeding 5 feet in length and reaching 550 pounds.  

There are now 11 different species of tortoises left in galapagos and 1500 remaining today. There used to be 250,000 around the time of the 16th century but due to human exploitation (the killing of tortoises for meat and oil), their numbers have fallen deeply.  Giant tortoises also exist on two small volcanic islands east of Africa called the Mascarenes and the seychelles.  LIke the Galapagos these also have flora and fauna that are very rare. 

One to four times a year female tortoises lay up to 16 eggs.  Galapagos tortoises eat mostly grass and leaves but can go without eating or drinking for over a year.  

Domed

Giant tortoise shells each  have a top part called the carapace and a smooth bottom part called the plastron. There are three different types of tortoise shells: domed (above), saddleback (below).

Saddleback

The third shell is a mix between the other two (below)

Mixed

Cool Galapagos Facts

Charles Darwin wasn't first person to set foot on Galapagos. He arrived in 1835, exactly 300 years after the islands were discovered in 1535 when a ship from Panama was blown off course.

Today's population in the Galapagos islands is about 20,000.

The tourist count in Galapagos is over 60,000 per year.

Some volcanoes in Galapagos are still active.

Galapagos is home to a very special 90 year old tortoise. His name is Lonesome George and he is the only surviving giant pinta tortoise left on the planet.  It is among the rarest animals in the world.

The Galapagos Islands are located at the confluence of five ocean currents.

In Galapagos, there are over 800 mollusks species live on the islands.

The marine iguana is the only lizard that swims in the ocean.  It has also made its home in Galapagos.

Galapagos is home to the only breeding penguins in the northern hemisphere.

The Galapagos Cormorants have grown so large that it has become the only species of cormorant that can't fly.