Geography and

Natural
Resources of the
Philippines
ILOCANO DUMAGAT AGTA

IVATAN
 Physical Characteristics
considered the “last frontier” of the
Philippines, being one of the few
regions with existing watersheds. It has
five (5) existing watershed with a total
land area of 119,261 hectares.
Physical Characteristics
 also the home of the mighty Cagayan River
which meanders into the vast plains from
south to north and provides water needs of
the region before it drains into the Babuyan
Channel, Pacific Ocean skirts the east coast
and rests its waves on the foot of the Sierra
Madre on eastern side. Region 02s forest
cover within Alienable and Disposable Land
consist of 95,068 has.
 Natural Potentials

It is the third largest region with an area of

2,687,517 hectares representing 9% of the
country’s total land area. The alienable and
disposable (A&D) lands stand at 972,822
hectares, 9,343 hectares of civil and military
reservations, 45,105 hectares of unclassified
lands and 1,669,590 hectares of forestland.
 Economy
 Isabela richest in Cagayan Valley.
 It was the Top 10 Richest Province in the
Philippines in 2011, being the only province of
Northern Luzon to be included in the list.
 Cagayan has much to offer visitors: beaches,
swimming, snorkeling, skin-diving, fishing in the
river and the sea, hiking in primeval forest,
mountain-climbing, archaeological sites, the
remarkable collection of the provincial museum,
the Callao Caves,
 Economy
 Batanes lies on a group of islands collectively
called Batanes Islands and they are the
northernmost islands of the Philippines. They are
located between the Babuyan Islands (belonging
to Cagayan Province) and Taiwan. The islands are
sparsely populated and subject to frequent
typhoons. The three largest islands are Itbayat,
Batan, and Sabtang. The northernmost is
Mavudis Island.
 Geographical Data
 Founded- 1909
 Capital- Basco
 Total Area- 219.01 km2 (84.56 sq mi)
 Population (2010) =16,604
 It is subdivided into 6 municipalities.
 It has only one congressional district.
 Municipalities Basco ,Itbayat , Ivana ,Mahatao
Sabtang ,Uyugan
Batanes is one of the beautiful
provinces found in the Philippines. It is
also known as the “Home of the
Winds”. Batanes is the northernmost
and the smallest province in the
country. It encompasses ten chief
islands and three of it are occupied.
 Batanes is home to the Ivatans who are
much admired as the “True Insulares”.
Ivatan Tribe is the first settler in this
province. They came from Formosa which is
known as Taiwan today. They have kept the
purity of their culture and traditions
through the years
 Batanes is also popular for dried fish, the main
product of the province. Handicrafts such as
native hats and fans are products of export
quality. Sugarcane or “Palek” are widely sold in
the islands.
 The strong winds blowing along the costline and the historic
marks that can be found in the province are the reasons why
the area is visited by tourists.
 Climate
The climate of Batanes is cool and windy. The area
has a semi-temperate type of weather due to its
location.

People

People in Batanes are called Ivatan and they share

cultural and linguistic similarity with Taiwanese.
Spanish ancestry also runs in their blood. The Ivatan
dialect is different from any other in the Philippines.
History
 Centuries before the Spanish colonization, the
ancestors of today's Ivatans lived in protected
settlements called Idjangs, which were usually in
defensive positions on top of steep hills. The word
"Idjang" was derived from the Ivatan word "Idi" or
"Idian" which means home or hometown. The
Ivatan tribes are farmers, fishermen, and boat-
makers.
 In 1685 Dominican missionaries arrived and
attempted to Christianize the Ivatans but the
efforts were abandoned with the death of two
resident missionaries. In 1718, missionaries made
another attempt to bring the people of Batanes
under the Cross. Missions directed from the
island of Calayan in the Babuyan Group of
Islands were sent to Batanes to urge the residents
to resettle in Babuyan.
 In 1782, Philippine Governor General Jose Basco
Vargas explored the area in search of tobacco-
growing regions and later sent an expedition to
undertake the formalities of getting the consent
of the Ivatans to become subjects of the King of
Spain. On June 26, 1783, Joseph Huelva Melgarjo
became the first Governor of Batanes. The new
province was named Provincia dela Concepcion.
Governor Basco was named “Conde dela
Conquista de Batanes” and the capital town was
named after him.
 Batanes was made a part of Cagayan
towards the end of the Spanish era.
However, during the American regime, it
became a separate political unit again.
During the Pacific War, Batanes, because of
its geographical location, was among the
first areas of the Philippines to be occupied
by Japan.
 Natural Attractions
SABTANG ISLAND is a pristine island that can be found in the
province of Batanes. It features several natural attractions like
beaches, steep mountains and deep canyons.
 ITBAYAT ISLAND is situated at the north of Batan Island.
Many people says that the island is shaped like a huge bowl.
 BATAN ISLAND is the most occupied island in the province.
It covers 4 municipalities – Basco, Ivana, Uyugan and
Mahatao. Basco is the center of commerce and the seat of the
local government.
 MOUNT IRAYA is an inactive volcano in Batanes. It has an
elevation of 1,517 meters. According to the record, the last
eruption of the volcano was in 505 AD. Mountaineering,
trekking and trailblazing are recommended sports activities
that can be done on the mountain.
 YAMI/AMIANAN is also called as Orchid Island. Tatus or
coconut crabs are flourishing in the place. It is also rich in
marine life.
 DI-ATAY BEACH is a stunning and amazing bay with multi-
colored rocks and white sand. The area of the beach is perfect
for picnics and beach combing.
 CHAWA CAVE is an enchanted cave with a natural salt bed.
The mouth of the cave faces the South China Sea. The area is
ideal for adventure seekers who love spelunking.
 MT. MATAREM is an extinct volcano with an elevation of 495
meters.
Man-made Attractions
 RADAR TUKON is a United States climate station located on a top
of a hill. It showcases the wonderful 360-degree view of Batan
Island, the South China Sea, Mt. Iraya, Basco proper, boulder lined
cliffs, and the Pacific Ocean.
 RUINS OF SONGSONG is a ghost barangay, a cluster of
roofless shells of old stone houses abandoned after a tidal
wave that hit the island of Batan in the '50s. It has a long
stretch of beach. The ruins are 23 kilometers from Basco.
 SAN JOSE CHURCH is situated in Ivana. It was established
in 1814. It has a crenellated fortress-like campanile.
 KANYUYAN BEACH & PORT is located along the Baluarte
Bay in Basco. It is the seaport of cargo ships exporting
products from Manila.
 SAN CARLOS BORROMEO CHURCH and a convent in
Mahatao Town is six kilometers from Basco. It was finished in
1789 and has kept its centuries-old styles.
 How to Get There
 By Sea

 The Batanes Multipurpose Cooperative now

operates the MV Ivatan Princess which runs the
Currimao, Ilocos Norte–Basco, Batanes route. It
leaves Ilocos Norte at 8pm on Wednesdays and
Sundays and arrives in Basco at 4pm the next day.
From Basco, it leaves at 3pm on Tuesdays and 10
pm on Fridays. The fare is 1,200 pesos and the
travel time is about 18 hours.
 By Air
 The fastest way to get to Batanes from Manila is by plane.
Peak Season is from March-June so be sure to get your
tickets months before your scheduled trip to Batanes.

 SEAIR flies to Batanes from Manila three times a week

using a 19-seater Let 410 with the following schedules:
Manila 6am to Laoag City 7:30am, Mondays, 2,000 pesos;
Laoag City 8am to Basco 9am or Basco 9:30am to Laoag
City 10:30am, Wednesdays, 1,950 pesos; Laoag City 11am to
Manila 12:30pm, Fridays, 2,000 pesos. Fare excludes
Insurance Fee of 150 pesos and Security Fee of 15 pesos.
 Uved
 Called as ‘tabtab‘ in Sabtang (one of the 3 inhabited islands
in Batanes), uved or uvud is one of those Ivatan comfort food
that I always miss!

 It’s basically made of finely-grated

corm (which is found at the base of a
trunk of a banana plant) that’s mixed
with ground meat (beef or pork)
and minced fish. Afterwards,
it is seasoned with onion, garlic,
salt and pepper.
This will be rolled into balls or served as is and can either be
with or without its broth.
 Dibang
 A common fish that you will find in
the islands is dibang or flying fish —
yes, it does ‘fly’ or leap out of the water,
a defense mechanism to evade predators.
To date, it has different variations
(other than simply frying it as is), such as:

 Lataven – are you familiar with kinilaw-style of preparing fish

meat in the Philippines or simply, ‘ceviche’? If yes, then lataven is
very similar to this. Dibang (or any kind of fish) is drenched in
vinegar and calamansi juice, as well as mixed with minced ginger,
onions, and salt.
 Maytahes (one-day-old) – after the fish is cleaned and opened up,
it will be marinated in salt, vinegar, and garlic and then laid out
under the sun for a day to dry.
 Vunes
 As a typical Batanes food, the gabi stalks are first soaked in
water. Afterwards, it will be cut and minced and then cooked
together with pork and patola (or sponge gourd).

 You could surely think of it

as another version of laing,
a Bicol specialty in the Philippines.
 Payi
 or lobsters are abundant
In Batanes, so a humongous
one can be easily bought for
as cheap as Php 150 (or $3)!
 Root Crops
 The Batanes Islands are
abundant with root crops,
namely:

 Wakay (sweet potato)

 Dukay (yam)
 Uvi (another type of yam)
 Sudi (taro)
 They’re steamed, fried, or smoked; but recently, we have
started to make different ways of cooking it (I’ve heard that
there’s even a wakay donut now).
 Luñis
 This is a different version of the
popular Filipino dish, adobo,
because luñis is rather served dry.

 Lasting for quite a while,

this traditional dish is made
of pork cooked with rock salt until
its fat is rendered and it turns golden
brown. Back in the old days, it is stored
in its own lard in jars for months to ensure continuous supply.

 To best eat luñis, I love to pair it with supas whilst dipping it in

vinegar and garlic!
 Supas
 Always a staple during fiestas
or festivals, supas or balencyana
(as called in Itbayat Island) is rice
cooked in turmeric pulp
(yellow ginger)that’s often mixed
with garlic and pork.

 It’s aptly called as yellow rice because, well… it is yellow from

the turmeric. Some people would often say that the taste is
close to ‘java rice‘, and that’s right! Though, I have to say that
I like our supas more when it comes to flavor.
 Other Batanes Food from the Sea
 Arayu – also called as mahi-mahi
or golden dorado, this fish is
indeed of golden color and slightly
mixed with hues of blue and green.
In Batanes, harvesting this fish
is a part of a sacred tradition
(kapayvanuvanua)in the small
fishing village of Diura. Up to this day,
the Ivatans there still practice it as they
believe that it will protect them from the
sea as well as give them a bountiful catch.
 TRIVIA:
 When in the islands, you will notice
that most of the Batanes food or
dishes are served in a big green leaf
(as shown on the cover photo of this post).
This becomes even more evident if you
come visit during a fiesta event.

 Those leaves are called vunung or breadfruit leaves (or kabaya in

Filipino). Traditionally, meals are served in this leaf for easy wrapping —
not to mention that it’s environmentally-friendly too! As for utensils, we
customarily use our hands. It may seem difficult at first, but as a local,
this is like the best and most homey way to eat Batanes food. (In fact,
science even shows that eating food with your hands is healthy! Google
that to know what I mean *wink*)
“Kulay Festival” is a native term which means “anything
dried” that may imply dried products such as onion, garlic,
rice, corn and fish among others, proudly manufactured
within their locality.
Vakul-Kanayi Festival this year. Starting from April 25 to 27,
activities are made from indigenous outdoor games and
cultural shows to colorful parades and street dancing
competition. Vakul is the headgear worn by women and
kanayi are the vests wrapped on men when they work. It was
made from Philippine date palm and they are still worn up to
this day.
 Several species of birds, bats, reptiles and amphibians also inhabit the island; many of
those are endemic in the Philippines. The island is also a sanctuary of different migratory
birds during winter in the Northern Hemisphere.
 Geographical Data
 The province is bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the east.
 on the south by Isabela province.
 on the west by the Cordillera Mountains
 on the north by the Balintang Channel and the Babuyan Group
of Islands.
 About two kilometers from the northeastern tip of the province is
the island of Palaui.
 a few kilometers to the west is Fuga Island.
 The Babuyan Group of Islands, which includes Calayan, Dalupiri,
Camiguin, and Babuyan Claro, is about 60 nautical miles (110 km)
north of Luzon mainland.
 The province comprises an aggregate land area of 9,002.70 square
kilometers, which constitutes three percent of the total land area
of the country, making it the second largest province in the
region.
Cagayan has 28 municipalities and one city divided into
three congressional districts. It has 820 barangays.
Tuguegarao City (as of December 18, 1999) is the
provincial capital, regional seat, and center of business,
trade, and education. It has a land area of 144.80 square
kilometers and a population of 120,645 as of 2000.

City:
Tuguegarao City
Municipalities:
 Abulug, Alcala, Allacapan, Amulung, Aparri,Baggao, Ballesteros
Buguey, Calayan, Camalaniugan, Claveria, Enrile, Gattaran
Gonzaga, Iguig, Lal-Lo, Lasam, Pamplona, Peñablanca, Piat, Rizal
Sanchez-Mira, Santa Ana, Santa Praxedes, Santa Teresita,
Santo Niño (Faire), Solana ,Tuao.
 Historical Data

 In 1581, Captain Juan Pablo Carreon arrived in Cagayan

with a hundred fully equipped soldiers and their
families by order of Gonzalo Ronquillo de Peñaloza, the
fourth Spanish Governor-General of the Philippines.
 On 29 June 1583, Juan de Salcedo traced the northern
coastline of Luzon and set foot on the Massi
(Pamplona), Tular, and Aparri areas. The Spanish friars
soon established mission posts in Camalaniugan and
Lal-lo (Nueva Segovia), which became the seat of the
Diocese established by Pope Clement VIII on August 14,
1595.
 Historical Data

With the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1898, ending

the Spanish-American War, America took over the
Philippines and influenced the culture, most
notably in agriculture and education as well as in
public works and communications.
Beginning the Second World War, the air raid of the
Japanese fighters and bomber planes was invaded,
bombed and destroyed around the province of
Cagayan and founded in 1942, the Japanese Imperial
forces entered in Cagayan.
 Historical Data

The Ilocano or also known as ilokano and Iloko, is a

member of the Malayo-Polynesian branch of the
Austronesian language family. Ilocano is the third
largest spoken language in the Philippines after
Tagalog and English.
The name Ilocano actually come from ‘I’meaning
‘from’, ‘looc’meaning ‘bay’ and ‘ano’ meaning ‘native
of,’ thus ilocano means ‘people of the bay’.
 Agricultural products are rice, corn, peanut, beans, and fruits.
Livestock products include cattle, hogs, carabaos', and poultry.
Fishing various species of fish from the coastal towns is also
undertaken. Woodcraft furniture made of hardwood, rattan,
bamboo, and other indigenous materials are also available in the
province.
 PEOPLE

 The majority of people living in Cagayan are of Ilocano

descent, mostly from migrants coming from the Ilocos
Region. Originally, the more numerous group were the
Ibanags, who were first sighted by the Spanish explorers and
converted to Christianity by missionaries.
 Aside from Ilocanos and Ibanags, Malauegs, Itawits,
Gaddangs, groups of nomadic Aetas, as well as families of
Ibatans who have assimilated into the Ibanag-Ilocano
culture make Cagayan their home.
Anguib Beach
o It is a white sand beach located in the northeastern
part of the Philippines. The beach is very suitable
for scuba diving, jet ski ridding, motorboating, and
other watercrafting and sports. It is also known as
the "Boracay of the North" for having the fine white
sand and pristine blue waters.
Callao cave in Tuguegarao
o The first chamber was made into a chapel by its people. It’s
one of the most popular tourist spots in Cagayan.
The Calvary Hills of Iguig, Cagayan Valley
consists of the 11 hectares of rolling hills with life-size
concrete statues of the station of the cross and the church of
San Antonio de Galicia. This colonial place is popular for the
devotees of the Holy Week (Lenten Season), which depicts
Jesus Christ suffering.
Nueva Segovia Church
In 1595, Pope Clement VIII created the Diocese of Nueva Segovia and in 1596, the
Dominicans accepted it as an ecclesiastical mission.the Diocese of Nueva Segovia
was transferred to Vigan in Ilocos Sur province in 1758. The diocese's name went
along with the transfer to Vigan and to avoid confusion, Bishop Miguel Garcia
requested that Nueva Segovia and its suburbs renamed back to Lal-lo. The seat of
the Diocese of Nueva Segovia remains in Vigan till today where is now elevated as
the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia.
Piat Sambali Festival
The Cabibi Festival of Lal-lo
town in northern Cagayan
Valley is a fitting climax to the
weeklong celebration of the
town’s fiesta. It is also in
honor of the unique shell
found only in the Cagayan
River that passes through this
town. The beat of the drums
and bugle corps is said to
resemble the sound of the
current that flows along the
mighty river. Thus in Lal-lo,
they say, this annual festival is
a tribute to the link between
this town's pagan past and its
Christian present.
Pinakbet
Dinengdeng

Tupig
Empanada Pinapaitan

Dinakdakan
 Igado
Vigan Longganisa
TUGUEGARAO, Cagayan –A one-of-a-kind flower has been
unveiled to the public in this northern Philippine city, with
environmental scientists saying the recent discovery is a rare
specie endemic in Cagayan province. The five-petal flower
named Rafflesia leonardi
C
 The Province of Isabela is province of the Philippines and
the second largest province in the country next to Palawan.
It is located in the Cagayan Valley Region in Luzon.

Its capital is Ilagan and borders, clockwise from the south,

Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao, Mountain
Province,Kalinga, and Cagayan. This primarily agricultural
province is the rice and corn granary ofLuzon due to its
plain and rolling terrain. In 2012, the province was declared
as country's top producer in corn with 1,209,524 production.

It is the Top 10 richest province in the Philippines last 2011,

being the only province of Northern Luzon to be included in
the list. The province has four trade centers in the cities of
Ilagan, Cauayan, Santiago and the municipality of Roxas.
 Prior to 1856, there were only two provinces in the Cagayan Valley:
Cagayan and Nueva Vizcaya.
 The Province of Cagayan at that time consisted of all towns from
Tumauini to the north in Aparri and all other towns from Ilagan City,
Roxas southward to Aritao comprised the Province of old Nueva Vizcaya.
 In order to facilitate the work of the Catholic missionaries in the
evangelization in the Cagayan Valley, a royal decree was issued on May 1,
1856 that created the Province of Isabela consisting of the towns of
Gamu, Old Angadanan (now Alicia), Bindang (now Roxas) and Camarag
(now Echague), Carig (nowSantiago City) and Palanan, all detached
from Nueva Vizcaya; while Cabagan andTumauini were taken from the
Cagayan province.
 The province was put under the jurisdiction of a governor with the
capital seat at Ilagan City, where it remains at the present. It was initially
called Isabela de Luzon to differentiate from other places in the
Philippines bearing the name of Isabela. The new province was named
in honor of Queen Isabella II of Spain.
 According to the latest Philippine Census, Isabela is the
most populated province among the five provinces in
Cagayan Valley (Region II).

 It has a population of 1,401,495 people and comprising 45.93

percent of the 3 million people in the region. At the national
level, the province contributed 1.58 percent to the total
population of 88.57 million. There are 254,928 households in
the province.

 For all ages, the sex ratio in Isabela was about 105 with
660,627 males and 626,948 females in the 2000 Census of
Population and Housing (Census 2000). There are more
males than females below 50 years old.
 Ilokano are the most prominent group in Isabela. Of the total
household population, 68.71 percent classified themselves as Ilokanos.
The next two prominent groups(ethnic) are Ibanag (14.05 percent) and
Tagalog (10.02 percent). The remaining 7.22 percent are either
Gaddang,Paranan, Yogad, or are from other ethnic groups.

 Major languages in Isabela are Ilokano followed by Ibanag, Yogad,

Gaddang. People especially in the capital and commercial centers speak
and understand English and Tagalog/Pilipino.

 Major languages in Isabela are Ilokano followed by Ibanag, Yogad,

Gaddang. People especially in the capital and commercial centers speak
and understand English and Tagalog/Pilipino.
 Isabela comprises an aggregate land area of 10,665 square
kilometers, representing almost 40 percent of the regional
territory. It is the largest province in the island of Luzon and the
second largest province in the Philippines in terms of land area. It
is located on the right- most part of the Northern Luzon facing
the Pacific Ocean and comprising parts of the Sierra Madre.

 Isabela is one of the provinces which is often hit by typhoons due

to its location.
 The province is divided into three physiographic areas. The
eastern area, straddled by the Sierra Madre mountain range, is
rugged and thickly forested. A substantial portion is uncharted.

 These unexplored hinterlands are home to a rich variety of flora

and fauna, while others are government reservations.

 The western area is a sprawling fertile valley hemmed by the

Central Cordillera. It is criss-crossed by the mighty Cagayan River,
Siffu river, and Magat River.

 Its mountains rise to a peak of about 8,000 feet, and are home to
one of the world’s largest remaining low-altitude rainforests, with
numerous unknown endemic species of flora and fauna and
exceptional biological diversity.
 The area is popularly known as the Northern Sierra Madre Natural
Park.

 Isabela has 600,000 hectares of Cagayan Valley’s 900,000 hectares

of forest cover.

 Isabela is subdivided into 34 municipalities and three 3 cities.

o Cauayan City
o Ilagan City
o Santiago City
 Tourism is relatively a new industry being developed in the
province. Support services and accommodation facilities are
likewise being developed.

 Tourism focuses mainly in the two cities Santiago City and

Cauayan City and its surrounding area with the Presence of Magat
Dam tourism complex and places of interest. Tourism is also
being developed in the coastal areas of Palanan where white sand
beaches can be found.

 The province of Isabela is the richest in Cagayan Valley. It is also

the Top 10 Richest Province in the Philippines last 2011, being the
only province of Northern Luzon to be included in the list.
Bambanti Festival
(IsabelaDay)
A SCARECROW is a human-
like figure that guards crops
from marauding birds, and is
usually made of sticks and
old clothes stuffed with
straw, held up by a frame over
a field — and can be a
farmer’s best friend. The
province of Isabela celebrates
these farmer’s helpers —
known in the province as
bambanti — with a festival
every fourth week of January.

Isabela holds the Bambanti

festival in thanksgiving for
the previous year’s harvest.
The celebrations includes a
trade fair, parades, street
dancing, and competitions
Pattaraday Festival - Pattaraday
which means unity is an Ybanag
word, it is celebrated on the occasion
of the founding anniversary of
Santiago. It celebrates the unity of the
ethno-linguistic groups that have
merged in the city to make it the
melting pot of culture of Region 02
and contributed to the city’s progress
and development-unity in action.
Highlighted with the presentation of
the Comedia – a moro-moro dance
made famous by the Spaniards to
stress the power of Christian Religion
over the Moorish non- believers;
other activities include beauty
pageant, grand batalla presentations
and a grand street dancing parade
and exhibition with performers from
other cities, provinces and regions.
Pancit Cabagan
The thin Miki noodle recipe
that is garnished with pork
lechon carajay, pork or chicken
liver, vegetables and quail eggs.

Binallay
When in Isabela, don’t miss Binallay; a
native suman delicacy of the province
made of sticky rice flour and wrapped in
banana leaves. Binallay is cooked in
boiling water until done then serve with
latik sauce.
 Moriecos
This variety of rice cake (kakanin in
Tagalog) is stuffed with latik or
caramelized young coconut then
steamed and wrapped in fresh banana
leaf.

Dinengdeng
This Ilokano dish has a soup base
made of bagoong isda
(fermented fish paste) and mixed
with local vegetables and some
grilled or fried fish. It is also
similar to Bulanglang and Laswa
and the only difference is the
addition of fish and fermented
fish paste.
 Inatata
Whole glutinous rice that’s a bit sweet
and wrapped in small cylinders made
of banana leaves are cooked by
steaming. They’re tied in batches; ten
per batch and it resembles a magazine
of bullets when tied.

Aling Belen Longganisa

Aling Belen is a household name in
the province because of her
Longganisa. She started mixing her
own version of the Pinoy sausage in
1970. Her personal special recipe
makes her Longganisa the best in
Isabela.
Pancit Batil Patong
Although it originated in
Tuguegarao, Pancit Batil
Patong is also popular in
Isabela. This sauteed noodle
dish is made from Miki
noodles, bean sprouts,
cabbage, minced carabeef,
crushed Chicharon (pork
cracklings), and fried eggs.

Corn Coffee
Corn coffee in Isabela is popular because of
the abundance of corn supply in the province.
It’s as tasty as coffee and it has its own health
benefits.
The endemic cutleaf daisy
(Lecocarpus pinnatifidus) is
named for the deeply and
irregularly lobed margins of its
leaves. This small bushy evergreen
shrub grows mainly on bare lava or
cinder to an height of up to 2m.
Usually it has one single stem and
a bushy head of leaves and yellow
daisy like flowers. It is one of the
rarest plants in the Galapagos, and
the world, known only from
Floreana island. Other endemic
species are found on San Cristobal
Island: Darwin’s Daisy, Lecocarpus
darwinii and on Española:
Fitzroy´s Daisy, Lecocarpus
lecocarpoides.
The Galapagos tortoises are
one of the longest-lived
species in the world; they can
live to be over 150 years old.
They can be recognised by
their incredibly large size and
slow movements. They can
mate at any time of the year,
and the eggs usually hatch
between April and December.
Marine iguanas can be seen
almost anywhere in the
Galapagos Islands. They are
good swimmers, and if you go
snorkelling or diving around
the seashore, you might find
them swimming with you.
They like to lie in the sun on
the rocks to warm up after
swimming in the cold water.
Scientists believe that iguanas
from South America drifted
out to the sea millions of years
ago, landed on the Galapagos
Islands and evolved into
marine iguanas.
Tagus Cove is located on Isabela Island across from Fernandina Island, next
to the Bolivar Channel that divides the two islands. This spot has been
frequented by ships since the 1800s that used the area as anchorage. Trails
lead from the cove past Lake Darwin up to a ridge displaying wonderful
views. Another area of interest is Punta Tortuga. Located north of Tagus
Cove, also across from Fernandina Island, this beach is surrounded by
mangroves.
Moreno Point (Punta Moreno) is located near Elizabeth Bay on the west
coast of Isabela Island. This is a nice area for a panga ride along the striking
rocky shores and a great place to view Galapagos Penguins and shore birds.
On land, a path through lava rock leads to tide pools and mangroves. These
tide pools often contain green sea turtles or white-tip shark. A
birdwatcher's delight, this site attracts Blue Herons, Pink Flamingoes, and
Brown Pelicans.