The blue waters are endless
The azure sky is far away and deep
Between this blue sea and blue sky
The islands are particularly striking
It is located on either side of the equator in the eastern Pacific Ocean
It was huge by four or five million years ago
Formed by submarine volcanic eruptions
Surfaced more than a million years ago
It is known for its natural simplicity
The last paradise on earth
Due to the influence of the Peruvian cold current
The climate on the island is cool and extremely arid
It is home to many of the world's unique flora and fauna
Due to the existence of a variety of unusual animal species
The island is known as it
"Unique Living Biological Evolution Museum and Showroom"
After Charles Darwin visited the island in 1835
Get insights from that
The famous theory of evolution was thus proposed
World Natural Heritage: Galapagos Islands
Emerges from the ocean floor under the influence of volcanoes
The 15 islands make up the Galapagos Islands
Perhaps it is this fusion of water and fire
The Galapagos Islands were made
A strange scene of cold and tropical animals coexisting
There are many exotic animals here
It is a paradise for animals and plants on earth
Next, let's go with xiaobian
Discover the magical creatures of the Galapagos Islands
01: Galapagos sea iguana
Wavy black lava on
Growing shrubs and huge cacti
In between, there is a creature that resembles an alien creature
Giant reptiles
Cloaked in dark armor
Motionless almost merged with lava
Many people see it for the first time
I'm sure I'll think of the monster named Godzilla
Because they look so much alike
Marine iguanas
Godzilla
They have long, pointed claws
It can be firmly attached to the rocks on the shore
Don't be swept away by the big waves
There is also a strong tail
I can crawl around steadily on the bottom of the sea floor with the current
The so-called "rock climbing expert"
Or "Little White Dragon in the Waves"
The whole body of the sea iguana is dark gray
But the sea iguana that is courting
The color of the body changes from gray to black
And red spots will grow on the body
Like a very shy girl and boy blushing reaction
What's even more interesting is that
The sea iguana has the "bone reduction" stunt
Scientists have found
When food is scarce
Sea iguanas absorb part of their bones
Shrink your body size to lower your metabolism
And it's time for breeding
The sea iguana will "grow up" again
Even more extraordinary than this skill
Sea iguanas automatically regulate their heart rhythms
Even paused the heartbeat for up to 45 minutes
Marine iguanas are extant on Earth
The only iguana that can adapt to marine life
It is only haunted in the Galapagos Islands
There are 7 subspecies
It is classified as "vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List
Even marine iguanas are currently affected
Comprehensive protection of Ecuadorian law
But the unpredictable El Niño phenomenon
as well as the invasion of alien species
They are still threatening
02: Galapagos tortoise
Galapagos tortoise
It is the largest surviving tortoise in the world
Darwin aboard the Beagle in 1835
This turtle was discovered while traveling around the world
But he could never have imagined it
Today, two centuries later
These cute and charming tortoises
Faced with an existential crisis
Galapagos tortoises weigh an average of 175 kg
Up to more than 400 kg
The carapace is up to 1.5 meters long
The life expectancy can reach more than 100 years
Galapagos tortoises are vegetarian
It usually feeds on cacti, leaves, lichens and berries
Due to the large amount of food, the temperament is slow
The time spent eating in a day is 8-9 hours
An average of 30 kilograms of food is eaten per day
However, the absorption efficiency is not high
And they're cold-blooded
Sun exposure is 1-2 hours a day
Although the nutrient absorption system is inefficient
But metabolism is also slow
Galapagos tortoises in conditions without water and food
It can survive for up to 18 months
It mainly stems from a special structure in which the lower abdominal nail of the neck meets
Known as the "pericardium"
It consumes a lot of water every time it drinks water
It will also maintain water outside of the body's needs
Stored in the bladder and pericardium
Drink slowly until the dry season
Despite the size of the Galapagos tortoise
But the walking speed is very slow
According to statistics, Galapagos tortoises average every hour
You can only move about 260 meters
So on the Galapagos Islands
Many animals mistake Galapagos tortoises for stones
It is often said that life is in motion
But there is such an animal
This law is violated
They don't move much all day long
Yet it lives a long time
Due to the very slow movement speed of galapagos tortoises
It is almost impossible for them to hunt other animals
However, despite the gentle temperament of the Galapagos tortoises, humans and animals are harmless
But they still suffered a senseless disaster
Thanks to these tortoises
It is possible to survive on board the ship for a year without eating or drinking
For sailors who float at sea all year round
It's an inexhaustible fresh meat storehouse
So at that time, it was hunted down and killed
It is said that the Spaniards once captured 700 animals on board
Even Darwin on his way back to the island (1835).
More than 30 were also loaded on board
As of the 1990s
Galapagos tortoises consisted of more than 250,000 at the beginning
Reduced to less than 15,000
Darwin's diary in 1839: "We rely entirely on turtles for meat, and roast the belly of the turtle on the fire... With a piece of meat attached, the taste is very good; the young turtles can be boiled into delicious turtle soup..."
03: Redstone crab
Redstone crab is a typical crab
Five pairs of claws, two front paws are smaller, blocky, and symmetrical
The other claws are broad and flat
It mainly lives in Central and South America
Pacific coast and nearby islands
It is also one of the most attractive species in the Galapagos Islands
Juvenile redstone crabs have either black or dark brown appearance
Convenient for them in the dark
Camouflage in volcanic lava coastal environment
And the redstone crab that grows up
Most of the body appears bright red or orange
Some are dark reddish brown
Some of the body also has some small spots and patterns
Between the rough and windy coastal rocks
They appear frequently
They are agile crabs that can move fast
Feeds on algae as a staple food
Sometimes also eats plant and animal carcasses
Redstone crabs have many peculiarities
For example, it will not walk sideways
Crabs generally walk sideways
This is because the basic characteristics of the crab body are
Transversely long, longitudinally short, flat and flat
Lateral walking is conducive to the stabilization of the center of gravity
Redstone crabs, on the other hand, prefer to go straight
And I like to walk "on tiptoe" and be fast
If it is on the shore with a reef
They also bounce forward
The symbiotic relationship between redstone crabs and marine iguanas is also peculiar
Redstone crabs can help sea iguanas to clear
Parasites and dead skin on the body
And use these as food
They thus achieve a harmonious and symbiotic relationship
Redstone crabs have many natural predators, such as the chain snake eel
When they are in danger
Will protect itself by spraying water at enemies
But such resistance does not work
Redstone crabs, live or dead
Both are used as bait for shoreline fishing
They also help maintain a clean coastline
This is especially important in areas that rely on tourism
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(This article is based on Baidu Encyclopedia, Popular Science China, Xinhua Net, Network, etc. To sort out and edit the picture source see watermark)