The uniqueness of Galapagos is largely due to the remoteness of the Archipelago which has never been connected to the lands of the South American continent.

This has left the animals, plants, bird life, reptiles and marine life who have either migrated or arrived by sea to develop somewhat differently to their mainland brothers and sisters, for example the various types of reptiles inhabiting the islands are all exclusive to the islands while 25% of the nearby shore fish and over 50% of all plants are also unique only to the islands and found nowhere else.

© Picture by Kleintours

Another interesting facet of the Galapagos is the sheer fearlessness of the wildlife, for instance you can easily swim eye to eye with sea lions, penguins and other marine life without them blinking an eyelid or go follow a giant tortoise as it makes it way pedantically through the lands, in fact the islands were completely uninhabited by man until 1535 and for the wildlife living there man was just another species washed up upon the shore and nothing to fear. It is also a paradise for snorkeling and you can view several multicolored glistening fish and invertebrates including rays, turtles and sharks.

For natural historians or those interested in geological and wildlife development. The islands are a paradise and a step back into time where little has changed for hundreds of thousands of years, they are not however for the sun worshiper or seeker of beeches because the scenery is more volcanic with barren wilderness and more serene in nature and is not for loud party types or regular mainland tourists.

Over the past few decades several larger land mammals have been introduced by man but before these more recent times the reptiles had no fear of such mammals because they didn't exist on the island. It was of course Charles Darwin in 1835 who based his theory of evolution by recognizing the uniqueness of species and plant life was exclusive to the islands which laid the basis for his various scientific papers and thesis as a result of the Archipelago's remoteness from outside life.

UNESCO has imposed strict codes of practice on the Galapagos, for example, the whole ocean surrounding the Archipelago and 97% of all land area is controlled and monitored under the Galapagos Marine Reserve and National Park which has around 56 landing sites with specific trails and boundary lines to adhere to which helps protect further these untouched pristine lands from man.

The sites have also been specially selected to give the visitors the widest selection possible on the various faunas, flowers and surrounding wilderness that are endemic only to these islands for a once in a lifetime experience that will never be repeated unless revisited. Periodically certain trails or islands are closed to tourists due to overcrowding or kept to minimum quotas only permitting the smaller boats to land. The main reason for this strategy is to allow the nature to recuperate itself and take a break from the plethora of tourists that tread the lands because some damage is always caused due to the fragility of the nature that exists here.

Important: Please never leave any trash on the islands as it may be hazardous to wildlife and never touch plants or wildlife or feed them because our foods are alien to them, in any case they can feed themselves and have been self sufficient for hundreds of thousands of years and don't need our help or concern.

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