Today was our first full day in the Galapagos, and we visited Espanola, the oldest island in the archipelago. This island is around four million years old. Its age has allowed the animals that inhabit the island to adapt. They are unique not only to the Galapagos but to the island itself.
The Espanola mockingbird is one of the island’s endemic species. We spotted them at Gardner Bay during our first visit to the island. The visitor’s site is home to a colony of sea lions, which we observed in the water during our snorkeling. We also spotted them on land as we walked along the beach.
We spent the afternoon at Punta Suarez, a visitor’s site famous for its seabirds, marine iguanas, and nursing sea lions. As we walked along the trail, we encountered blue-footed and Nazca boobies as they courted and built nests. We also observed a Galapagos racer snake looking for marine iguana babies and a Galapagos hawk, the top land predator of the Galapagos.
Today was magical. The day was full of adventure and wildlife, and this was just the beginning!
