We spent the time between breakfast and lunch around this small, fascinating "satellite" islet. Here snorkelers drifted with the current to see tropical fish species, sharks, rays and the occasional marine turtle, while non-snorkelers enjoyed the same from our glass-bottom boat.
In addition to looking down, it is well worth also looking up at the low cliffs, for here on this small islet is one of the rare chances to see the endemic Floreana mockingbird, unique to the island. Unfortunately the mockingbird is almost never seen on the principal island of Floreana because of the presence of introduced black rats and cats.
The Floreana (or Charles) mockingbird is known as a particularly terrestrial species, spending much of its time in the lower levels of the vegetation or on the ground. This behavior made it extremely susceptible to the newly introduced mammalian predators. But fortunately there are several satellite islands around Floreana, allowing the survival of the species until the time there's an effective method for the elimination of introduced rats and cats.
