Watch: Introduction to the Gal谩pagos Islands
My great, great, great uncle Edwin was part of an expedition that changed the way we think about the world.
And I鈥檓 returning to the place he explored nearly 200 years ago, the Gal谩pagos Islands! The Gal谩pagos are an archipelago, or group of islands, off the coast of Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean.
The islands are quite close together and they have similar landscapes, plants and animals. But if you look carefully, you can see that they鈥檙e not exactly the same.
For example, the finches on one island have pointy beaks for catching insects. But a similar finch on another island has a big, thick beak for eating seeds.
The tortoises on some islands have shells that are dome shaped because they eat plants that are low down.
But similar tortoises on the other islands have shells that rise up at the front, which allow them to eat plants that are high up. These little differences have been caused by the way the animals have adapted to live on the islands over many years.
This was something that Charles Darwin noticed on his famous expedition to the Gal谩pagos Islands in 1835.
It led him to come up with his scientific theory of natural selection, which explains how living things evolve over time.
The Gal谩pagos Islands are a protected area because of their unique wildlife, including marine iguanas, tortoises, green turtles, sea cucumbers, flightless cormorants, and the Gal谩pagos penguin, the world鈥檚 only tropical penguin.
The Gal谩pagos islands are a perfect example of evolution. It鈥檚 amazing that such a small group of islands have had such a large impact on our understanding of the world.
Where are the Gal谩pagos Islands?
- The Gal谩pagos Islands are a group of islands created by volcanoes.
- They are in the Pacific Ocean, almost 1,000 km from the coast of Ecuador in South America.
- The islands are on either side of the Equator. This means they are in both the Southern and the Northern Hemisphere.
What are the Gal谩pagos Islands like?
The Gal谩pagos Islands are home to some of the most unusual animals on the planet.
For example:
- giant tortoises
- marine iguanas
- the Gal谩pagos penguin
Today, tourists visit the islands to see the dramatic landscapes:
- volcanoes
- beautiful coastlines
- coral reefs
- the wildlife and plants
Do people live there?
- People live in small areas of the islands because the wildlife and plants are protected. This is part of the conservation plan for the islands and the ocean around them.
Laws stop things such as too much fishing, too many people living there and too many visitors.
It is hoped this will protect the variety of plants and animals and the beauty of the islands for the future.
Watch: What do the Gal谩pagos Islands look like?
Activity: Quiz 鈥 Gal谩pagos Islands
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