DAY 7
(I HAVE NEVER SEEN ONE LAND IGUANAS LET ALONE ....4 LAND IGUANAS)

These animals are simply amazing. I had no idea how beautiful they were until i see it in real life. I am not big on reptiles but, land iguana is an exquisite animal. I would to see them feed. I like the smirk of their face. like the other animals on the island. They are not afraid of people. Unfotunatley, as i was walking past a burrow. A land iguana just left it. i only took a photo of it. I would love just to see it come out of it. I saw so much wildlife. The photos i have is just the small % of what i saw. 

The Galapagos Land Iguana (Conolophus subcristatus) is a species of lizard in the Iguanidae family. It is one of two species of the genus Conolophus. It is endemic to the Galápagos Islands, primarily the islands of Fernandina, Isabela, Santa Cruz, North Seymour, Hood and South Plaza.

 

Taxonomy

 

The Galapagos Land Iguana varies in morphology and coloration among different island populations.There are two taxonomically distinct forms of Conolophus inhabiting the western part of the islands (C. cristatus and C. pallidus) and one in the central part (C. cristatus).Its generic name, Conolophus, is derived from two Greek words: cono meaning "spiny" and loph meaning "crest", denoting the spiny crests along their backs. Its specific name subcristatus is derived from the Latin words sub meaning "lesser" and cristatus meaning "crested," and refers to the low crest of spines along the animal's back which is not as tall as in most iguanids.

 

Anatomy and morphology

 

Charles Darwin described the Galapagos Land Iguana as "ugly animals, of a yellowish orange beneath, and of a brownish-red colour above: from their low facial angle they have a singularly stupid appearance."The Galapagos Land Iguana grows to a length of three to five feet with a body weight of up to twenty-five pounds, depending upon which island they are from. Being cold-blooded, they absorb heat from the sun by basking on volcanic rock, and at night sleep in burrows to conserve their body heat.These iguanas also enjoy a symbiotic relationship with birds; the birds remove parasites and ticks, providing relief to the iguanas and food for the birds.

 

Diet and longevity

 

Land iguanas are primarily herbivorous; however, some individuals have shown that they are opportunistic carnivores supplementing their diet with insects, centipedes and carrion. Because fresh water is scarce on the islands it inhabits, the Galapagos Land Iguana obtains the majority of its moisture from the prickly-pear cactus that makes up 80% of its diet: fruit, flowers, pads, and even spines.During the rainy season it will drink from available standing pools of water and feast on yellow flowers of the genus Portulaca.

 

It is estimated that the Galapagos Land Iguana has a 60-year lifespan.

 

Reproduction

 

Galapagos Land iguanas become sexually mature anywhere between eight and fifteen years of age, depending on which island they are from. Mating season also varies between islands, but soon after mating, the females migrate to sandy areas to nest, laying 2-25 eggs in a burrow 18 inches deep. The eggs hatch anywhere from 90 to 120 days later.

 

On South Plaza Island, where the territories of Marine Iguanas and Land Iguanas overlap, the two sometimes interbreed, resulting in a mixture of features from each species. The most likely unions tend to be between male Marine Iguanas and Female Land Iguanas. Despite their long separation time and their being two distinct species from different genera, the offspring are viable, although likely sterile.

 

Population

 

It is estimated that between 5,000 and 10,000 land iguanas are found in the Galapagos. These iguanas were so abundant on Santiago Island at one time that naturalist Charles Darwin remarked when it was called King James Island that "...when we were left at James, we could not for some time find a spot free from their burrows on which to pitch our single tent". In the years since then, entire populations (including all the animals on Santiago Island) have been wiped out by introduced feral animals such as pigs, rats, cats, and dogs.

 

Reasons for decline

 

The biggest threat to Galapagos Land Iguanas is from feral animals introduced by humans to the islands. Feral dogs and cats attack the iguanas and destroy their nests; the iguanas, having lived in isolation for millions of years, never developed any instincts to flee from predators. Feral pigs destroy the nests of iguanas while searching for food and even eat the eggs of the lizards. This is common in Cerro Azul volcano and Isabela, and in Santiago pigs may be the cause of the disappearance of the land iguanas that were so abundant when Darwin visited. Introduced goats are a major competitor for food and water; and overbrowsing by goats also leads to loss of protective cover from birds of prey such as the Galapagos Hawk.

 

Recovery efforts

 

Beginning in the early 1990's the Galapagos Land Iguana is the subject of an active re-introduction campaign on Baltra Island. These animals became extinct on Baltra by 1954, allegedly wiped out by soldiers stationed there who shot the iguanas for amusement. However, in the early 1930s, William Randolph Hearst had translocated a population of Land Iguanas from Baltra to North Seymour Island, a smaller island just a few hundred meters north of Baltra because he could not understand why no iguanas were present there. Hearst's translocated iguanas survived, and became the breeding stock for the Charles Darwin Research Station captive breeding program which has successfully reintroduced the species to Baltra and a number of other areas. Visitors today frequently see iguanas on both the runway of the Baltra airport or while they cross the road.

 

Isla Isabela, Galapagos Islands The largest island in the Galapagos Archipelago at 4588 sq km, Isla Isabela was named by Christopher Columbus, in honor of Queen Isabela of Spain, who had sponsored his voyage. In the shape of a sea horse, this island measures around 100 km in length and is home to five young active volcanoes. An extremely beautiful place, Isla Isabela has a rich and intriguing past with many visitor sites on the island. A favorite hideaway for early pirates, buccaneers and whalers, there are a number of high cliffs here which enclose a protected bay.

 

The highest point on this island is the Volcan Wolf which sits at an altitude of 1,707 meters. A product of six volcanoes coming together over millions of years ago into one single island, Isla Isabela is undeniably one of the best places to tour in the Galapagos. Home to a huge variety of plant and animal species including the endemic Galapagos penguins, marine iguanas, flightless cormorants, Sally Lightfoot crabs, boobies and pelicans, this island is also the habitat of the rare and endemic Darwin Finches, Galapagos Hawks, Galapagos Tortoises, land iguanas and the Galapagos Doves.

 

With a fairly large human settlement residing in Puerto Villamil on the southeastern tip of the island, some other points of interest on Isla Isabela include, the Volcan Alcedo, where large numbers of giant tortoises can be spotted from June to December. Some 1128m high with a 7 km wide caldera, till a few years back it was possible to camp near the summit of the volcan.

 

Another tourist hotspot here is Punta Albemarle, on the northern tip of the island. Used as a radar base by the US in World War II, this site is a great place to spot the flightless cormorant and a number of other birds. A definite must see when on Isla Isabela is Targus Cove lying east of Isla Fernandina. A former pirate haunt, this cove offers a great opportunity to take a panga ride, which not only presents some terrific snorkeling chances, but also lets you see many of the bird species here in their natural environment.

 

On the western shores of Isla Isabela lies Urbina Bay, where one can observe many animals as well. A nesting area for the Galapagos tortoises, Galapagos penguins, Brown Pelicans and Flightless Cormorants, this area is also inhabited by marine and land iguanas. Some other important visitor sight on the island include; Elizabeth Bay, Punta Moreno, Punta Tortuga, Punta Garcia and Villamil Lagoon.