World Wildlife Day in Galapagos

Celebrating World Wildlife Day on 3 March - and for the World ARC 2024 fleet it’s an honour to be in the
Galápagos Islands on this day, where over 80% of the land birds and 97% of reptiles and land mammals
are totally endemic to the archipelago.

Located in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Ecuador, Galápagos has one of the most pristine island
ecosystems on Earth, and 97% of the land area is designated as a protected National Park. It’s one of
the best places for interacting with animals in the wild at close range, both above and below the water.

Here's just a few of the creatures we’ve spent time with during our visit to Galápagos:

Marine iguanas are the only lizard in the world with the ability to live and forage at sea. The adults are
black for most of the year. However, the males change colour during the mating season, during which
they fight for dominance over harems of females and will fiercely defend them from rival males. They
grow to a maximum size of 1.5 metres and have a lifespan of between five – 12 years.
The most famous resident of the Galápagos Islands is the Galápagos giant tortoise. In fact, the very
word 'Galápagos' derives from an old Spanish word for tortoises! An endangered species, they live to
over 100 and are an average size of 1.5 metres. They spend around 16 hours each day resting, and the
remainder they enjoy eating grasses, fruits and cactus pads.
The most abundant marine mammal in the archipelago is the Galápagos sea lion. Their smooth and
streamlined body shape, make them efficient hunters, especially of sardines, which are their main prey.
Males can weigh up to 400kg - four times that of females – and their average lifespan is 15 to 20
years. Diving depths of up to almost 600 metres, sea lions can stay underwater for over ten minutes.