The Wonders of the Galapagos

Story by Gabriel Mccrea, FNN 4th grade reporter at FPCS Online Academy. Photo by KimKim.com.

March  17, 2021. Buenos días y bienvenido. I just said “hello” and “welcome” in the language used in the Galapagos Islands, Spanish.  Will you come with me to take a tour of the Galapagos Islands and all its sights?  One of the reasons this island is famous is because Charles Darwin thought of new ideas here about life and all its creatures. 

The Galapagos Islands are located off the coast of South America. One of the many colorful animals here are the Blue Footed Boobies. Don't get fooled by the name boobies which means foolish in Spanish because these are not dumb birds. They get their color from the food they eat. If their feet are not blue they are very unhealthy. You can feed them these fish to make them healthy: anchovies, sardines, mackerel, flying fish, and other small fish. And the female bobbies dive deeper and eat the larger fish.

When I landed on the island, I met my Spanish pen pal, Marie. She was riding what I thought was a big turtle but she said it was a tortoise. Almost 1,000 Giant Galapagos Tortoises live on the island of Espanola.  Tortoises are herbivores like some dinosaurs. They eat prickly pear fruits, flowers, leaves, and grasses. It's interesting to know that tortoises can go without eating or drinking for up to a year, because they can store water in their bladders.

When I arrived I didn't know I needed a jacket because I thought everything near the equator was hot. I was very surprised that it was windy. The weather here is 81° and a little windy. It is windy here because it is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean. 

Marie decided to take me on a tour of Ecuador's Rainforest and that was the end of my journey. Goodbye and see you later or adiós hasta luego as they say in Spanish.