The Natural Observation of Evolution – The Unique Beauty of the Galapagos Islands
Updated: Jun 27
By Franciso Dousdebes
The Galapagos Islands, a remarkably unusual volcanic archipelago in the eastern Pacific Ocean, harbor some of the most spectacular plants and animals of the world. Española, Santa Fe and San Cristobal, bear some of the oldest rocks in the archipelago, and these were formed about five million years ago; whereas the younger islands, Isabela and Fernandina, are still in the process of formation through stunning eruptions. The archipelago’s volcanic origins produced various islands overtime, but the current makeup of the islands includes over 25 main islands, and dozens of smaller islands and rocks. These islands are scattered over an area in the Pacific Ocean covering about 138,000 Km2 (53,000 mi2), which means there’s not only isolation from the mainland, but also enough interisland isolation.
