Pinta
(Abingdon)
Marchena
(Bindloe)
Isabela
(Albemarle)
Santiago
(James)
Genovesa
(Tower)
Fernandina
(Narborough)
Santa Cruz
(Indefatigable)
San Cristóbal
(Chatham)
Española
(Hood)
Santa Fe
(Barrington)
Floreana
(Charles)
Pinzón
(Duncan)
100 km
60 mi
WelcometoaspecialeditionofExplorer magazine!Throughthesepages,youwillbetransportedtoaplaceunlikeanyotherintheworld:theGalápagos Islands.
TheislandsweregivenbothSpanishandEnglishnamesbyearly visitors.
EarlySpanishsailorscalledtheislands“LasEncantadas.”Thatmeans“theenchanted.”Howperfectforislandsthatseemtodisappearinthe mist!
Theywerediscoveredbyaccidentin1535byaSpaniard,TomásdeBerlanga.HisshipwasboundforPerubutwascarriedoffcoursebystrong currents.
Fromthelate1500stotheearly1800s,theGalápagossawpirates,buccaneers,andwhalers.In1832,Ecuadorofficiallytookpossessionofthe islands.
Theseislandsteemwithlife.Frigatebirdssoar.Blue‑footedboobiesdiveintotheocean.Marineiguanasclingtoslipperyrocks.Galápagospenguinszippastthemlike rockets.
Takeacloserlookatthemapabove.Ithelpstellthetaleoftheseislandsandhowtheycametobe.Onceyouunderstandthebirthoftheseislands,you’llbegintoseewhatlivesthereandwhy.Youwillreadofafamousvisitor,CharlesDarwin.Andfinallyyou’lllearnaboutoneoftheislands’mostmemorablespecies:thegiant tortoise.
Itisn’tpossibletotellyoueverythingabouttheGalápagosIslands.Butwehopethisissuewillstartyouonyourownquesttoknow more.
BrennaMaloney,managingeditor, Explorer
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