These mysterious creatures mainly feed on theyellow flora and fruits of the islands, such as the prickly cactus pear.Marine iguanaThis iguana is the only marine lizard on earthand is believed to have existed for ten millionyears. They are usually seen in large groupsaround lava rock formations. Their dark blackskin has adapted to the ferocious sun that beatsdown on the Galapagos, and also acts ascamouflage. A marine iguana can dive down to20 metres, thanks to its well-developed flat tail,and has been timed as staying underwater forup to an hour. They are seen throughout theGalapagos, but are most numerous on Isabela,Fernandina and Española islands.Lava lizardThese small and highly territorial reptiles arefound on most islands except Genovesa,although they differ significantly in size, colourand behaviour from island to island. Seven sub-species have now been identified, all ofwhich are endemic to the Galapagos. Males aresignificantly larger and attract females, who arereadily identifiable by their red throats, byundertaking what appear to be rapid press ups. ReptilesReptilian life in the Galapagos is as prolific anddiverse as that of the birds. In total there are 22 species, of which 17 are considered to beendemic to the Galapagos.Giant tortoiseSynonymous with the Galapagos, these immense reptiles can live to over 150 years and may weigh up to 270 kilos. There are 14sub-species and the most famous individual,'Lonesome George', is the last known tortoiseto have survived extinction from La Pinta island.Almost wiped out in the 19th century bywhalers who stored them below deck for meat,giant tortoises have made a strong recovery.Today, these incredible creatures can be seen in captivity on Santa Cruz and Isabela islands, as well as in the wild in the highlands of thesame islands and San Cristóbal.Land iguanaLand iguanas in the Galapagos can grow to onemetre in length and live for 60 years. Theymainly reside on Santa Cruz, Plazas, Isabela andFernandina islands. A recently identified endemicpink sub-species is found only on Santa Fé andnowhere else in the Galapagos, or the world.10Galapagos sea lionsLand iguanaGiant tortoise

www.audleytravel.com/galapagos ?01993 838 635 ?Wildlife11MammalsDespite inevitably having seen pictures of theGalapagos before visiting, we are sure that youwill not be prepared for the sheer number ofsea lions on most beaches. There is actually onlyone species of sea lion present in the Galapagos,although there is a small population of fur sealsthat can be seen in the western islands.Galapagos sea lionGalapagos sea lions - an exclusive species to the archipelago but related to the Californianspecies -can be seen throughout the islands,parading in large colonies on the rocks andcoastlines of all the islands. The beaches arepatrolled by the males, who protect femalegroups of 30 and more. The long mating seasonis between May and January with most pupsarriving around August, making this a time ofheavy guarding and responsibility for all themales. Sea lions, especially the females, will duckand dive playfully with you while you swim and snorkel. They are seen in greatest numberson Plazas, Santa Fé, Rábida, Santiago, Española, San Cristóbal and Isabela islands.Fur sealFur seals are distinguishable from sea lions bytheir ears as well as their larger, rounded, moisteyes and pointed noses. Virtually hunted toextinction by whalers, many survived by hidingunder rocks and sheltered areas such as lavacracks on Santiago, Isabela and Fernandinaislands, which is where they are seen today.Marine lifeThere are an estimated 400 different species of fish roaming the waters of the Galapagos, of which 17 percent are endemic to the islands.Included in this are over 12 species of sharksincluding tiger, black-tip, whale, grey reef andtwo species of hammerheads. In addition, thereare five species of rays (stingray, golden ray,marbled ray, spotted eagle ray and manta ray)and 18 types of moray. The warmer westerncurrents from the Pacific bring with them aplethora of tropical marine life, making forspectacular snorkelling with species such as angel fish, trumpet fish, surgeon fish, grouperand Pacific green turtle. Add to this thepenguins, sea lions and marine iguanas and youare left with the most unique underwaterenvironment on the planet.Representing the marine mammals, bottle-nosedand common dolphins also frequent the ocean,while whale species (usually seen between June and September) include brydes, pilot,minke, blue, orcas and Cuvier's whales. Cappingit all off, there are numerous starfish, urchins and crustaceans, as well as sea cucumbers,bobbing around.Marine iguanaFemale lava lizardMoorish idolsPacific green turtle