- Flora
- Life Zones
- Fauna


Flora
Plants are the basis of all life within the Galapagos Islands .  Of the 500 species of "higher" plants 40% are endemic. These plants combined with the 200 species of introduced plants and 500 species of mosses, lichens and liverworts give the Galapagos its complex ecosystem.

Mangroves live in the Wet Coastal Zone. These salt-tolerant trees and shrubs thrive in shallow and muddy saltwater or brackish waters. In the Galapagos there are 4 varieties of Mangroves including the Black Mangrove, White Mangrove, Red Mangrove , and Button Mangrove.

Arid Lowlands Zone
As an island slopes from the beach to an elevation of about 197 ft (60 m) elevation an arid desert like zone occurs. This region is home to the many Cacti that live in the Galapagos including the Prickly Pear Cactus, Lava Cactus and Candelabra Cactus . Vine plants also make their home in the Arid Lowlands. The endemic lava morning glory and endemic passionflower can be found in this zone. At the top of the Arid Lowlands the silvery leafed Palo Santo Tree with its collection of lichens can be seen.

Transitional Zone
Rising up the island, plants become more frequent. In the Transition Zone plants from both the Arid Lowlands and the Upper Moist Zones occur. This zone is home to a variety of small trees or shrubs including the endemic Pega Pega Tree and the endemic Guaybillo, which produces a small white flower that develops into a fruit similar to its cousin the Guava.
The Galapagos Tomato , endemic to the islands is a salt resistant tomato that has been used to create a hybrid, which is capable of growing in salty soil around the world.

Scalesia Trees have been greatly reduced in numbers since humans arrived in the islands. With them came pigs and goats, which devour the young plants and feed on older plants. People also introduced the Guava, a plant whose dense growth patterns steals nutrients and eventually makes it impossible for competing plants to survive.

Miconia Zone
Above the Scalesia Zone at 1950 - 2300 ft (600-700 m) is the humid zone named for the Miconia shrub that once dominated this region. The Miconia Robinsoniana grows to heights of 10-13 ft (3-4 m). Its leaves easily identify it with their yellow or reddish shading on the edges.
The Miconia is endemic to the Galapagos, but since the arrival of man it has become the most endangered plant in the islands. Introduced cattle have grazed the Miconia into dangerously low levels.

Fauna
The Islands have a wide array of endemic fauna, invertebrates, birds, reptiles and a few mammals, which are native to the islands rather than introduced. The Galapagos Tortoise is the most well known of all the endemic creatures. These giant tortoises, all of which are endangered due to hunting and introduced species, include 11 subspecies adapted to the terrain of their island home.
Colorful and plentiful iguanas are a common endemic. The Galapagos is home to Land Iguanas , Marine Iguanas and a Hybrid of the two. Long known as a haven for birders, the Galapagos Islands ' native bird life includes 57 residents almost half of which are endemic, the rest are regular migrants. Darwin's Finches include 13 species that have adapted to their island setting. Other endemics include the Lava Gull , Galapagos Penguin , Dark-Rumped Petrel , Galapagos Flightless Cormorant , Lava Heron , Galapagos Martin and Galapagos Dove.
Life in the ocean is as varied and unique as that above it. The Galapagos Marine Reserve is home to sharks, rays, Cetaceans. Green Turtles and Hawkbill Turtles can be seen in the waters. Almost 300 species of fish have been noted. The Sally-Lightfoot Crab (bright red color) can be seen along the shore.

Galapagos Birds and Animals
Early in the development of the islands many migratory birds made their way across the seas from neighboring Colombia , Ecuador and Peru to the islands. Over the years additional birds began to arrive with the assistance of the trade winds. Today of the 19 species of birds residing in the Galapagos 50% are endemic and 25% are exclusive to the islands including the Galapagos Penguin, Flightless Cormorant, Waved Albatross, Lava Gull and the Swallow Tailed Gull.  More than 700,000 migratory sea birds can be seen in the islands.  The Galapagos is home to almost 1/3 of the worlds .

Blue Footed Booby population, the highest concentration of Masked Boobies and the largest colony of Red Footed Boobies While some birds have changed little over the years from their ancestors who first arrived in the islands, others have altered slightly to create a new subspecies in the Galapagos like the Vermillion Flycatcher and the Short Eared Owl . Others have developed into new species like the Galapagos Hawk and Galapagos Dove .  The most dramatic evolutionary changes can be seen in birds like the Mockingbirds or Finches, which have developed into several new subspecies depending on their environment in the islands.

With the lack of predatory mammals, life on the islands is dominated by reptiles; represented by the famous Galapagos Tortoise , land and marine iguanas, lava lizards and sea turtles . These creatures closely represent their relatives on the South American continent. There are 27 species of reptiles in the Galapagos of which 17 are endemic.

Over the past few years' attention has begun being paid to the remarkable underwater world.  These creatures consist of more than just the Fur Seals, Sea Lions, and Sally Lightfoot Crabs that are ever apparent. It also includes 16 species of whales and 7 types of dolphin, 18 species of morays , 5 species of rays , 12 species of sharks as well as various other underwater animals from tropical angelfish to sea cucumbers .

Galapagos Marine Life
The combination of warm tropical waters and the upwelling, nutrient rich, cool Humboldt waters allow the Galapagos Islands to support a wide array of marine life. These waters are home to sharks, sea turtles, sea lions and 306 varieties of fish, 25% of these fish are endemic. There are few coral reefs in these waters, instead the crevasses in the lava provides the function of a reef in other environments. Smaller fish live protected within the crevasses coming out to feed, and invertebrates make their home in the lava. The marine food chain and life is established around the lava as larger fish live near the lava area where they feed on the smaller fish.

Viewing the Marine Life
Diving in the Galapagos has been rapidly increasing in the last few years. These trips visit some of the remote island areas like Darwin and Wolf where land visits are not possible, but diving is exceptional. The highlight of these trips is viewing the Galapagos' big animals including Whale Sharks, Hammerheads and Manta Rays while Sea Lions, Hammerheads, Galapagos sharks, Eagle and Golden Cow Rays and vast shoals of reef fishes can regularly be seen on diving day trips from around Santa Cruz island and the nearby central islands. Natural history cruises also allow visitors to have a glimpse of life under the sea. These trips offer snorkeling excursions in place like Devil's Crown a submerged volcano, which offers an experience similar to swimming in a tropical fish tank or to Academy Bay where swimming with a colony of sea lions is an opportunity not to be missed.

Sea Turtles 
The Pacific Green Sea Turtles spend most of their lives in the ocean. Adult shells grow to 3 ft (1 m) in length with a body weight of up to 400 lbs. (180 kg). These cousins to the tortoise mate in the waters near the Galapagos and are often seen near Caleta Tortuga Negra on Santiago . Males never leave the sea, but females come ashore on beaches to nest and lay eggs on several of the islands.

Green Sea Turtles are an endangered species. Turtle eggs are eaten and pigs and rats frequently destroyed their nests. Hawks, herons, mockingbirds, and frigatebirds prey on young hatchlings. If these young turtles make it to the sea, fish and sharks hunt them.

Whales & Dolphins
In the 19th century whale oil was a main source of energy around the world. Whales, dolphin and porpoises all have a blubbery layer of fat around their body. This blubber allows them to stay warm in cold waters and gives them extra energy during long migrations. It was this blubber that the whalers would seek; they would melt it down creating whale oil. The Galapagos Islands were the center of whaling in the Pacific Ocean .
The practice of whaling has stopped and many of these large mammals still visit the Galapagos during their migrations. Whales, Dolphin and Porpoises make up a family of Cetaceans; the family can be divided into two parts those with teeth and those with Baleen Plates .

Baleen Plates are large, horny triangular pieces of whalebones occurring on the upper jaw of toothless whales. The Baleen grows from 2 - 12 ft (.6 - 3.6 m) rows along the gums of the upper jaw. The whales push water through the plate allowing them to feed on plankton, shrimp, sardines and other small creatures. Those animals with Baleen Plates are the larger whales including the Blue, Finback, Sei, Humpback, Bryde's and Minke ; all which can be seen in the Galapagos waters.