Galapagos Islands Sea Animals

Galapagos Sea Animals

A characteristic that surprise the tourist is the temperature of the sea, that is around 21º C / 70º F, from January till April, and around 19ºC / 66ªF from May till December .

The reason for this temperature difference is given by Humboldt's current when it flows from the Antarctica to the north, bringing along cold fresh water and food to the area. For any tourist that stays in water for 30 to 40 minutes will freeze himself. A good advice for tourists is to bring to sets of wetsuits that will keep them warm and will also protect them from the sun

Sally Lightfoot Crabs

In the rocky banks of the Galapagos we can find a very ubiquitous native, the Sally Lightfoot Crab. When the tourists reach them these little shiny spineless creatures run for safety behind rocks and holes, because they are prey from sea birds as hawks. But when they feel they are out of danger they will leave their hiding place and run near you again.

Sea Turtles

The green turtle of the Pacific is the only sea turtle that lives in the Galapagos Islands.

Divers usually see 70 pounds turtles slip quietly next to them. In the breeding station from November till January the turtles appear in big numbers.

The male turtles chases the females through out the water where the mating happens. The females could mate with different males for hours before reaching the beach trying to escape from their lovers.

Once in the beach, at night, they will drag themselves toward dry sand for the spawning. Here they will dig a hole in the sand with their back fins to leave their eggs, later they will bury them carefully.

At dawn the rake of the turtles gives a silent testimony of this maternity night mission.

Galapagos Cetaceans

The waters of the Galapagos Marine Reserve are inhabited by some whales, including the sperm whale, well known in Spanish as "Cachalote". But the most common companions of tourists are the Bottlenose Dolphins.

These playful dolphins follow the yachts surfing the wave that is generated by the boat through out its way, then suddenly they will go away very quickly.

Rays

Several species of rays could be observed in the Galapagos. The most spectacular, but rarely seen is the Giant Ray of Manta Ray. The most common one that get the crowd excited is the Spotted Eagle Ray. A grown-up male reaches easily a length of 3,3 feet (1 meter) not including the tail, and you can observe them "flying" through out the water or floating over the bottom waving like a flying carpet.

While these rays are inoffensive, the Stingray is a harmful one that could cause a very painful wound if it is accidentally stepped on. The Stingray is very common in some beaches and the guides give a warning before entering to the water. A good advice to reduce the possibility to step over a Stingray is to bury your feet under the sand and drag your feet around instead of walking step by step.