Galapagos, Ecuador
A Dream for Biologists


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When Charles Darwin in 1859 start his trip, even if I wrote to a friend “I look forward to the Galapagos, with more interest than any other part of the voyage" and “These islands appear paradises for the whole family of Reptiles. Besides three kinds of Turtles, the Tortoise is so abundant; that single Ship's company here caught from 500–800 in a short time”, he could imagined that his theory illustrated on the book “On the Origin of Species” was destined to influence the thinking of modern man in a considerable way. Galàpagos Islands are located 970 km from mainland Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean. The pictures of this reportage paints of this "paradise on earth", open-air laboratory that still does not stop to inspire naturalists from all around the world ... read more

Following the traces of Darwin - In 1959, on the 100th year anniversary of the publication of Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species”, the Galàpagos Islands were declared a national park. - More species of plants and animals can be found nowhere else in the world, that is, they are endemic. - Many species are not only limited to the Galàpagos, but are restricted to single islands within the archipelago. This is caused by a combination of very long-term isolation and evolution of unique differences and specializations that confine species to narrow ways of life. So they became adapted to the habitat and environment peculiar to one island. - Tree Cactus have evolved on the islands into a complex of species. In some islands the spines are missing, while on others they cover the trunk and branches. - Sea turtles, tortoises, snakes and lizards all have representative species on the Galàpagos. - The Galàpagos Penguin occurs farther north than any other penguin in the world. - There are 14 species of Darwin’s Finches, all of which except one are confined to the Galàpagos Islands.