The Galápagos islands, some 1,000 km off the coast of Ecuador, is a wild life paradise that harbors many species unique to the islands.
A visit in November 2009 to the islands of San Cristóbal, Santa Cruz and Isabela, gave us the opportunity to contemplate many of these beautiful animals in their natural habitat.
Several of the birds that live in the Galápagos are also only found there, such as the iconic Blue-Footed Booby, pictured here basking on the golden light of sunset atop black lava formations in Isabela island.
The Galápagos are a fragile ecosystem, threatened by increasing human activity as well as climate change. During recent El Niño episodes, the majority of Galápagos penguins were wipped out, rising fears that this unique species may not survive for much longer.
Watch blue-footed boobies in a diving frenzy, Galápagos penguins calling and many more of the extraordinary birds of these astonishing islands in the photo gallery or in the link HERE.
