creatures strange and beautiful

A galapagos penguin shares a rock with marine iguanas on Isabela Island in the Galapagos

A galapagos land iguana carries a cactus fruit before eating it on South Plaza Island. Because there is very limited fresh water in the Galapagos, the iguana gets most of its moisture from the cactus plant. Darwin described land iguanas 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”. I personally think they are quite beautiful.

Three marine iguanas, found only on the Galapagos Islands, lounge on a rock on Isabela Island. The marine iguana is the only modern lizard that lives and forages in the sea and its primary food source is marine algae. Because they have to rid their bodies of excess salt, one can often see marine iguanas making a sort of sneezing sound and expelling water and salt from their noses!



sumber dari: blog.juliacumesphoto.com