Each island is different. Española has white sand. Floreana’s sand looks like brown sugar. Genovesa’s beaches are made of sharp rocks!

Older islands are more lush and green. They’ve had more time for plants and animals to grow and live. Trees and other plants take root. They create good places for animals to live. The islands contain some of the strangest biodiversity in the world.

Many of the plants and animals traveled to the Galápagos from South America long ago. Some of the first were birds. They may have come looking for a place to nest. Seeds stuck to their feathers. Then they fell off. Some took root and grew.

Insects came, too. Some flew. Some were carried on pieces of driftwood. Giant tortoises can’t swim, but they can float. Other reptiles may have floated, too. These animals settled into their new home.