Fernandina Island
This remote island represents to me one of the best examples, if not the best, of the beauty and the wilderness of the Galapagos Archipelago. Nowhere else in these remote islands can you feel a contagious kind of magic floating in the air, as you can here. Some special characteristics unique to Fernandina give credence to my previous statements. Fernandina Island, with a total surface area of 248 square miles, is considered to be the largest oceanic island that is still in pristine conditions. No introduced animal or plant species are found on the island. At the same time Fernandina is very young, only 300 thousand years old, therefore still being formed by the active hot spot in the area. Scientists and historians have recorded 60 major eruptions in the Galapagos since the 18th century, most of which took place in Fernadina or in the neighboring Isabela Island. The last major eruption in Fernandina took place as recently as 1995, and lasted for several months. During the nature walks and from the Zodiacs we observed the vestiges of breathtaking geological features. Black lava in bizarre and artistic formations dominates the scenery. From a biological point of view Fernandina is fascinating as well. Two emblematic bird species inhabit this island, the Galapagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) and the flightless cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi). The Galapagos penguins are the only penguin species that live in the equatorial zone, and occasionally cross the equatorial line. The flightless cormorants are a living proof of evolution, and a true example of a common occurrence in oceanic islands: a bird that as lost the ability to fly due to the lack of predators and the copious sources of food found in their ecological niches.
During our Zodiac cruise in the morning among many creatures, one in particular was truly special for me: a juvenile brown pelican (Pelicanus occidentalis urinator). The inquisitive bird was following us for several minutes; its pure curiosity and ecological naiveté made him approach the Zodiac just some feet away. His astonished observers could not believe it was so close without a trace of fear. After a few minutes, it seemed the pelican was more curious about us than we about it. At one point we had trouble discerning who was observing whom!
If you like birds or animals in general as I do, and I am sure many of you do, come and visit us. You will have the experience of a lifetime, the unique chance to observe penguins, flightless cormorants, pelicans, and many more animal species just a few feet away from you!
This remote island represents to me one of the best examples, if not the best, of the beauty and the wilderness of the Galapagos Archipelago. Nowhere else in these remote islands can you feel a contagious kind of magic floating in the air, as you can here. Some special characteristics unique to Fernandina give credence to my previous statements. Fernandina Island, with a total surface area of 248 square miles, is considered to be the largest oceanic island that is still in pristine conditions. No introduced animal or plant species are found on the island. At the same time Fernandina is very young, only 300 thousand years old, therefore still being formed by the active hot spot in the area. Scientists and historians have recorded 60 major eruptions in the Galapagos since the 18th century, most of which took place in Fernadina or in the neighboring Isabela Island. The last major eruption in Fernandina took place as recently as 1995, and lasted for several months. During the nature walks and from the Zodiacs we observed the vestiges of breathtaking geological features. Black lava in bizarre and artistic formations dominates the scenery. From a biological point of view Fernandina is fascinating as well. Two emblematic bird species inhabit this island, the Galapagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) and the flightless cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi). The Galapagos penguins are the only penguin species that live in the equatorial zone, and occasionally cross the equatorial line. The flightless cormorants are a living proof of evolution, and a true example of a common occurrence in oceanic islands: a bird that as lost the ability to fly due to the lack of predators and the copious sources of food found in their ecological niches.
During our Zodiac cruise in the morning among many creatures, one in particular was truly special for me: a juvenile brown pelican (Pelicanus occidentalis urinator). The inquisitive bird was following us for several minutes; its pure curiosity and ecological naiveté made him approach the Zodiac just some feet away. His astonished observers could not believe it was so close without a trace of fear. After a few minutes, it seemed the pelican was more curious about us than we about it. At one point we had trouble discerning who was observing whom!
If you like birds or animals in general as I do, and I am sure many of you do, come and visit us. You will have the experience of a lifetime, the unique chance to observe penguins, flightless cormorants, pelicans, and many more animal species just a few feet away from you!
