#GALAPAGOS ISLAND RACER SNAKE FREE#

According to folklore, the name Galapagos is derived from the old Spanish word, galápago, meaning tortoise or a type of saddle resembling a tortoise’s shell. The most iconic reptile of the Galapagos is the Giant Tortoise. The Conolophus marthae: Also known as the Rosado (‘pink’) Iguana, these are the most threatened species of Land Iguanas and can only be found in the highlands of Isabela Island, around Wolf Volcano.īoth Marine Iguanas and Land Iguanas inhabit South Plaza Island, and often hybrids can be found there.The Conolophus pallidus: these are yellow to white in colour, with brown patches.The Conolophus subcristatus: these are yellowish in colour and can be found on Fernandina, Isabela, Santa Cruz, Seymour, and South Plaza islands.Like their brothers the sea-kind, they are ugly animals, of a yellowish orange beneath, and of a brownish red colour above: from their low facial angle they have a singularly stupid appearance.”

#GALAPAGOS ISLAND RACER SNAKE FREE#

In The Voyage of the Beagle, Charles Darwin wrote, “ …when we were left at James Island, we could not for some time find a spot free from their burrows on which to pitch our single tent. Land Iguanas sleep in shallow underground burrows that they stay close to day and night. They are usually found living in small colonies in the drier parts of the archipelago where they can feed on low-lying, and often prickly vegetation such as cacti. It’s thought that there are between 5000-10,000 land iguanas in Galapagos today. Their dark colour helps them absorb heat more quickly and they are able to expel any salt ingested underwater through glands near their noses. When underwater their body temperatures can drop as much as 20☏ (6☌) which is why you often finding them basking in the sun after a swim. They can swim to depths of 15 metres (50 feet) and can stay underwater for up to an hour. Unlike their mainland-dwelling counterparts that live in trees and eat fruits, the marine iguana is amphibious and feeds off green (but not brown!) algae, seaweed and small crustaceans in the sea. It’s true, they may not be the most beautiful of animals but they are excellent examples of Darwin’s evolution theory.

In The Voyage of the Beagle, Charles Darwin describes the Marine Iguana as ‘a hideous-looking creature, of a dirty black colour, stupid and sluggish in its movements’. The following are three examples of reptiles that helped plant that light bulb in Darwin’s head. Upon arrival they adapted to their new environment and evolved in remarkable ways. Millions of years ago their ancestors were washed off the mainland and carried to the Galapagos on pieces of driftwood. There are 25 native reptile species in the Galapagos, 19 of which are endemic.

Galapagos island racer snake