South America | The formidable bestiary of the West Galapagos

Memory is a faculty that forgets, as the popular saying goes.

Stephanie Morin
The Press

You could therefore believe that I have nothing left, or almost nothing, of the cruise around the Western Galapagos carried out before the pandemic paralyzed the planet, an eternity ago.

And yet… Some images remain very sharp. We do not visit this corner of the globe without returning transformed by the beauty of the biodiversity, but also by its great vulnerability. In this archipelago planted in the heart of the Pacific, life evolves at its own pace and according to its own rules.

It was therefore to be able to admire animal species unique to the Galapagos that I boarded the Santa Cruz II in February 2020 with 56 other passengers (out of a capacity of 90). Five naturalist guides – all of Ecuadorian origin – were also on board to lead the island’s walking tours or rubber boat excursions. For five days we explored the Western Isles in search of this amazing wildlife. And each excursion off the ship has been rich in discoveries.

Large land iguanas in Christmas colors (green and red), cormorants that have lost the ability to fly because there are no predators to hunt them, blue-footed boobies with the amazing courtship dance, different species of tortoises that are several hundred years old, penguins that have evolved far from their Antarctic cousins, sea lions that belch as we pass… And tiny finches, the very ones that allowed Charles Darwin to develop his theory on evolution and natural selection from observations made on these birds in the archipelago in 1835.

Watch carefully where you step

In the Galapagos, the absence of predators makes the animals not very shy. Iguanas, sea lions, turtles and company cast a curious (or indifferent) gaze on passing humans, so much so that it is no longer quite clear who is watching whom. Only the fish are shy, those who serve as a food source for many.

On Fernandina Island, ash-colored marine iguanas bask in the sun, and there are so many that you have to be careful not to set foot on one. Especially since they merge with the carpet of crusted lava that covers the youngest island of the archipelago, an arid piece of land that seems to have been forgotten by the gods.

On the island of Floreana, it is the pink flamingos (the archipelago has 350 specimens) that make our devices click with their graceful flight.

Off Isabela Island, slender, quiet, and soulful green sea turtles mingle with freedivers while penguins rocket by and cormorants dry their tiny wings. Even the red crabs, present everywhere, are photogenic…

In fact, the west of the Galapagos benefits from a particularly rich marine fauna, because the islands are at the confluence of two marine currents, those of Humboldt and Cromwell, which both carry a lot of nutrients.

Between June and November, underwater life is at its peak in the area. This is the perfect time to observe whale sharks, hammerhead sharks… From December to May, however, it is the terrestrial fauna that is in the spotlight, while the rains make the vegetation of the islands green Western. The iguanas are very fat during this period!

Strict rules

Whatever the season, visiting the archipelago remains a delicate exercise, because the thirst for discovery is constantly opposed to the fear of contributing, by our mere presence, to the deterioration of one of the most fascinating places on Earth.

However, it should be noted that the Ecuadorian government, which owns the archipelago, makes considerable efforts to regulate visits to the archipelago, especially for cruise ships. In 1959, the Galapagos Islands were declared a national park and 97% of the current territory of the archipelago is part of it.

Cruise ship itineraries and passenger activities (snorkeling, hiking, sea kayaking, etc.) are determined by park management to avoid excessive human presence in one and the same place. Tour groups are always accompanied by a guide. It is strictly forbidden to eat, smoke, use flash or pick up anything on the islands. Excursions are limited to very specific areas. And the humans must be back on their ship by 6:00 p.m.

Already, some cruise lines that visit these waters, including Metropolitan Touring, are carbon neutral. Others will follow, we hope. It is utopian to think that this corner of paradise is completely closed to tourism, but we can hope that the authorities know how to preserve it.

The costs of this report were paid by the Ecuadorian Tourist Board.