A ship, a ship – we have a ship. Our Galapagos adventure is about to begin. The Monserrat waits patiently in the harbour for us to board. Everyone else is already settled. It’s time for us to join the rest of the crew in the land of the lizards. The first stop on our cruise is Isla Plazas in the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador – another UNESCO World Heritage Site!
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Table of Contents
The Galapagos Name Game
The islands were named for the ancient tortoises that inhabit tiny dots in the vast Pacific Ocean. But today’s tour is all about lava lizards and land iguanas. Of course there are plenty of storm petrels and Nazca boobies and sea lions… okay, maybe lizard land isn’t the right name for this piece. How about small island teeming with life?
Land of life?
Island Iife?
Yep, that’s it! Island life – where water-lapping land iguanas mingle with lounging lava lizards, seaside-sitting storm petrels, nesting boobies and sunning sea lions. That’s a typical scene on Isla Plazas.
The Galapagos Islands are replete with wildlife. They were the first to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site (in 1978).
If your bucket list includes visiting more UNESCO World Heritage sites, check out these posts:
- The Churches of Chiloé Tour
- Machu Picchu’s Story in Stone
- Exploring Évora: UNESCO World Heritage Site | Portugal
- Exploring Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump
- Ireland’s Skellig Michael: A Storied Past
- Ireland’s Brú na Bóinne
- Falling in Love With Guanajuato, Mexico
- Baja’s Cave Paintings: An Overview
Isla Plazas
Stepping on the short concrete dock, our G Adventure guide William warns us to be careful. The white guano stain – aka bird poop – is slippery.
Heading out on the rock-lined trail, a finch flies by. Another calls from a nearby cactus. A yellowish land iguana blocks the path, demanding a photo or ten. Quick as a flash, a small lava lizard scurries by. All this and we haven’t moved more than 30 metres (100 feet) from the dock.
There are three species of land iguanas found in the Galapagos. One is only found on the island of Santa Fe and another is found only on the Wolf Volcano on Isabela Island. The land iguanas we are seeing here today are Conolophus subcristatus– but you you can call them the yellowish land iguanas. These fascinating creatures big – over 3 feet (1 m) long. Males can weigh up to 30 pounds (13.6 kg). That’s about the weight of a border collie!
Our guide William had lots of great info to share, such as the fact that in the mornings land iguanas are sun worshipers. By midday, they are seeking shelter in the shade. At night, they curl up in a snug burrow to help keep them warm. They also like eating low-growing plants and shrubs. Prickly pear appetizer, anyone? How about some succulent portulaca?
Wandering Wild in the Galapagos
This tiny, cactus-laden island is a refuge for hundreds of individuals – some large, some small, and some downright slothful. Walking on Isla Plazas is less about forward momentum and more about taking care not to inadvertently crush an unsuspecting resident. Everything you may have ever heard or read about the abundance of fearless wildlife in Galapagos hit home on this short stroll.
Massive bull sea lions slumber unconcerned as we walk by. They are as sleepy as sloths in a tree. Juvenile sea lions pose on rocks and cavort in the water.
Frigate birds hold court on rocky outcrops, watching tourists watching them. I kept expecting one of them to pull out a camera and start snapping photos of us! Nesting pairs of Nazca boobies keep watch over eggs. Their rock-lined nests are precariously perched on black lava cliffs above a frothing surge.
A solitary land iguana laps water from an ephemeral rainwater pool steps away from the path. We stop and watch in awe as it casually drinks without a care. Watch as William explains in the background about land iguanas and their drinking habits:
This island life is pretty unique, don’t you think?
What wildlife adventures have you experienced in the Galapagos, or what would like to experience?
When You Go
G Adventures (*Save up to 25% on Last Minute Adventure Travel Packages
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Hi Megan! So nice to be traveling with you in Nebraska this week. Mind you, I’d love to visit the Galapagos where you’ve just been. Iguanas are so cool — I first met them in Mexico. Your photos here are great.
Thanks, Linda! Likewise, delightful to meet and travel with you. And yes, iguanas are cool!