Ecuador Meeting #4

Yesterday marks the 2 week count-down for the trip I have coined, my “Amazon Adventure”.   There are so many interesting and exciting components to the trip, I can’t tell which part I am most excited about… visiting a school in the jungle, interacting with students, observing the traditions and ways of living of a different culture, or seeing the beautiful creatures that roam the Galapagos Islands.  Each time I read the itinerary or talk with someone about my upcoming travel plans, I get even more energy about the experience. 

I can hardly hide my smiling face when talking about the last leg of our trip.  Three days in the Galapagos Islands which are a remarkable landform (a chain of islands formed by volcanoes).  Throughout our meetings and my own research I leaned the Galapagos has many unique traits and even an ecosystem of its own.  There are many animals that live on these islands.  Some of the more famous animals are the giant tortoises, finches, marine iguanas, blue footed boobys, and Galapagos penguins. Click here to watch the blue footed booby mating dance.

Lava rock on the Galapagos Islands

  

Santa Cruz Island

Many of these animals have learned to quickly adapt to their environment, a critical component to survival called natural selection.  For example, some tortoises live for over 100 years and each species of tortoise has different traits depending on which island they live on.

Finches are very similar because through natural selection, they have developed traits to help them find food and survive on different islands.  Look at the difference between these finches.

So, stay posted on more knowledge and fun facts about the animals of the Galapagos Islands because in less than two weeks I will be blogging from Ecuador and sharing my wonderful experiences with all of you!