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undeniably manned and as such we play out our role in the world where all that
lives are predators and prey.
Welcome to the Galapagos, the islands near the equator that Charles Darwin
made famous. The father of the theory of evolution discovered hundreds of species
that at the time were unique to this region. Because of the efforts of Darwin's
disciples most of those species are still here, still growing on the Galapagos
and enriching all of our lives.
The flying skills of the black frigate bird brings a trace of Hitchcock to this
tropical dream setting. We're on a journey aboard the Charles Darwin, a
journey to the Galapagos Islands.
To the north of Isabella Island we see our first whale escorted by two dolphins.
The cold waters below the equator are teeming with life, but where there is
life there is danger. Encounters with hammerhead sharks are not unusual in
this region. To divers large mantas are harmless, but the sight of them gives
this world a rather threatening appearance. Life above water is more
familiar to humans. We recognize some of the birds over the dark lava of Hood
Island. These marine iguanas are the last ancestors of prehistoric dragons. They
share the environment with their neighbors, the sea lions. The red crabs
are also players on this unique stage. They however have a tougher time
surviving than their neighbors the sea lions and the iguanas. The crabs must
camouflage themselves when they are young, when herons can just barely swallow
them.
The Galapagos Islands are breathtaking. With their volcanic coastlines and green
white surf and exotic animals, you get the impression there is no place on
earth quite like this. The impression is absolutely correct. For the majority of
animal and plant species, this can be a hostile environment. Limited plant growth
on Hood Island results in a lack of food for the iguana and other animals. They
have survived not by finding food on the land. There isn't enough there. They have
found alternate food sources in the sea and to do it they've learned to swim and
dive. But even the sea can be hostile. Sometimes the surf is so forceful that
even strong sea lion bulls are knocked about. Iguanas are often dragged along
the rocks and then yanked back into the sea. Regardless, the iguanas dare to enter
the water day after day because deep beneath the cliffs grows the seaweed on
which the iguana grazes. The iguana must be careful for if it ventures too far
from its patch of algae, it could become vulnerable to attack by a shark that
lurks waiting for its prey.
Even the sea lions don't have it easy on the rocky coast of the Galapagos. In
order to sleep, they pull themselves onto the land. Their family life is spent
along the water where the large bulls control their territory. Here the
landscape looks friendlier. The sea lions have adopted an aquatic way of life. Of
the world's lizards, only one is classified as a sea animal, the marine
iguana of the Galapagos. They can remain submerged for over an hour. Their pulse
drops from 30 beats per minute to less than 10. The most attractive of the
iguana species found in the Galapagos is the red iguana on Hood Island. In the
hollows of the shoreline rock face, we found iguana skeletons. Like small ivory
hands, the teeth grow from the jaw. The iguanas graze on the algae by placing
their heads sideways against the plants. Specialized glands in the nasal cavity
serve to expel sea salt. In the water, the legs are held close to the body. The
flattened tail takes over the swimming movements. The gentle sway of the algae
is misleading. During the filming, the current around Hood Island became so
strong, an air tank was ripped from the back of one of the divers. The cameraman
with his underwater camera was dragged against the rocks, but the dive was well
worth it. On their return to the shoreline, marine iguanas are often
treated like toys, held by the tail, tossed into the air by sea lions. Sharks
are the only real threat in these waters. They are probably responsible for the
fact that only one in ten young iguanas grow to a full size, which is just over
three feet. Because of the shark threat, the marine iguanas prefer to remain in
shallow water. They have adapted to a life in the sea.
The stoic calmness of the marine iguanas is misleading. When they return to land,
there are frequent disputes over females or higher vantage points.
The sharks are really there. This female sea lion was able to escape. She has a
reasonable chance of surviving the encounter. Around Floriana Island, we
observed a sea lion with a healed wound. The pushy thrushes have recognized the
opportunity. Most of the creatures on these islands live off the sea. These
include the sea birds, which nest in large colonies on the volcanic craters,
cliffs, or on elevated flats like this one on Hood Island. Here we run into the
last remaining albatross from the nesting season.
This juvenile has not matured enough for its maiden flight to the Chilean coast.
Our presence has caused the mother to desert her chick, so we must depart in
order not to endanger the youngster. The albatross is a rather comical figure on
land. Its hopeless waddle is contrasted sharply by its elegance and grace when
in flight. Fortunately for the albatross, there are no large land predators in the
Galapagos. Wolves or foxes would target the albatross and could turn it into
prey. Thousands of sea birds make their home on Hood Island. Some, like the
albatross, are elegant in the air but clumsy on land.
These birds wish to court. However, it appears the appropriate mood has not yet
surfaced. The spirit has not yet moved them. It is entirely possible that we
humans have distracted them, but they are not known to be camera shy. These two
masked boobies have found a good spot.
In the blazing heat of the equatorial sun, these large birds do not have it easy.
With gaping beaks, they pant. Unlike the cold of the north and south, here in the
Galapagos, the nesting birds have to worry about shade instead of warmth. The
fact that boobies remain on their nests, even when tourists approach them, appears
to be proof of paradise-like tameness. In reality, their pulse rate rises
dramatically, a clear sign of stress. The larger the young boobies get, the more
desperately they beg. As clumsy as the booby may be on land, they move gracefully
through the air and on the water.
This time-lapse photography reveals all the movements during a dive. Like a
missile, they dive into the water. However, more exertion is needed to return to the
air. The frigate bird, the albatross, and the booby are all aerial acrobats. With
their long hooked bills, they catch flying fish, snatch food away from boobies,
and seagulls. They even steal chicks and eggs from nests. They cannot dive or swim
because their plumage is not sufficiently oily. They all live from the
sea, whether they dive for food themselves or steal it from others.
Another dive is in preparation. Diving gear must be loaded onto the boat. The
most interesting sites are near a small crater near Floriana Island. Its highest
peaks barely rise above sea level. The first volcanoes of the Galapagos
appeared three to five million years ago, but this volcano known as the Devil's
Crown is younger. The soft ground around the edge of the crater, with its many
cacti, could not possibly have experienced very much flooding. In the
crater is a sea lion's harem. The females seem to be enjoying our visit. As
monotonous and uninhabited as this area may seem, a colorful animal and plant
world awaits us beneath the water surface. The water may be shallow, less
than 10 feet deep. However, it is deep enough to make it impossible for us to
see the passage leading to the open sea. Right in the narrow passage, an
untrustworthy bull comes to look us over. Within the crater, he and his family are
protected from the sharks that live out in the open sea. The Galapagos shows us a
great variety of life forms in the water and on land. However, it cannot compete
with the brilliant colors of a large coral reef found in warmer waters. The
differences between individual islands of the Galapagos is astounding. The
iguanas found on Hood Island could not live on these colorful corals and
anemones of the Devil's Crown. They need their algae beds. Crayfish are beginning
to sense that the underwater world of the Galapagos is unprotected. Money can
be made on them, and so they are harvested in large numbers, like lobsters.
For years, scientists have been recommending that this part of the
Galapagos be protected. To date, however, the Galapagos National Park ends where
the unique sea life begins in the surf of the Pacific.
From the native crew of our ship, we learned to attract curious sea lions. One
simply had to pick up a rock or piece of coral and intensely observe it. Soon they
would be there. Their curiosity shows no bounds. For hundreds of years, man has
exploited countless numbers of seals and birds and iguanas and turtles. Too many
of these creatures have lost their lives. Underwater, turtles are faster and more
agile than the divers, but during the breeding season in the bays and sand
dunes, they have no chance of escape. Not when the fishermen chase them from the
water with their boats or catch them at night while they're laying eggs. In this
bay, we found more than 20 turtles. It is their mating season. One of the
nightmares of the Galapagos would be an oil spill in the Pacific. The oil would
drift from international shipping lanes toward the islands and their bays. Such
an event would have catastrophic results in a world that Charles Darwin's
explorations made famous. What Darwin's disciples have worked so tirelessly to
protect would be destroyed. To ensure that Charles Darwin's creatures stay
safe, shipping traffic would need to keep its distance from the islands. Even this
lagoon of Floriana with its flamingo would be sensitive to any oil
contamination of the seawater. For years, this animal population has remained
stable. The lagoon provides just the right amount of food to maintain some
40 flamingos.
Our night station, James Island and its sea colony, at least what remains of it.
In the past, fur seals were slaughtered by the thousands. It was profitable. These
are the remnants of the seal population which lives under the equator. They are
the least protected on their own with sharks and whales. Many aquatic life
forms that live along the coasts of these volcanic islands are dependent
upon the food providing environment that is not contaminated or over-harvested.
An experiment is being prepared on our ship. We wish to work with an underwater
microphone to record a short commentary 50 feet below the water surface.
Regardless of slower speech, the sound quality is not satisfactory, but we then
do some fine-tuning and the quality improves substantially. A rare sight for
a diver, a penguin from the perspective of a fish. These small animals, the only
penguins at the equator, must watch for sharks and killer whales. If you have
never seen them before, from a distance these penguins look like diving ducks.
Towards evening, they retire to the rocky coast where they preen their feathers
and sleep. The estimated size of the penguin population is about two to four
thousand. The young with their white cheeks generally remain close to their
parents. Even the company of a brown pelican is preferable to being alone.
With the low tide, the marine iguanas leave the algae and return to land. The
largest males chase away potential competitors. This activity often results
in conflict. During the battle, the effort is made to push the opponent into a
rocky crevice. You can observe long and tough battles on many of the islands,
most and without bloodshed.
During peaceful periods, they rest under the hot sun, blowing the sea salt from
their bodies. Patiently, they allow finches to pick parasites from their
skin. Much of the Galapagos appears to have a gray tone. Life such as this
cactus begins deep under the soil surface where they reveal a deep green
coloration. But the rich green of a tropical rainforest is rare in the
Galapagos. Due to the scarce rainfall, erosion is so slow that mangroves can
only slowly establish themselves. Mangroves and cacti have moved into this
landscape. This is no Garden of Eden. This is the earth soon after creation,
when it was a barren desert.
Like a witness to the gray prehistoric days, the iguana comes out of his
mangrove shelter. Scientists who have observed him have named him Oscar. Oscar
is rather indignant. We're obviously in his way and there's no reconciliation. We
have invaded his space with cameras and microphones. Offerings of food don't seem
to interest him. He goes on his own way, as he has for 30 to 40 years. For Oscar's
relatives on Plaza Island, life is much better. They live in a tropical garden
filled with delicacies. The land iguanas love the fruit of cacti which thrive
here. The reddish overgrown soil with its large cacti makes Plaza Island a
favorite photo opportunity for tourist groups. And when the land iguana eats a
cactus flower, thorns and all, the cameras click-click uninterrupted.
When Charles Darwin first visited the Galapagos, there were so many iguanas, he
had trouble finding a place to pitch his tent. But those days are long gone. Many
rare animals cannot recover since only 90% of the island surface is protected.
The survival of most of the inhabitants is dependent upon the food reserves in
the sea. Protecting that food source should be an objective for the future.
The unique undersea world of the Galapagos is still threatened, just as
all the worlds are today threatened. I'm Charles Adler.
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