Bartolome Island - Part II - Sea Lions and Lava Lizards!

 JB!!  Hello from all of us Galapagos Sea Lions!  Did you know that our particular species of Sea Lions is also endemic to the Galapagos Islands? 

We like to frolic and play in the water a lot.

 It is breeding season in the Galapagos, so there are many new babies.  The babies are very hungry and they are nursing a lot.

 We want you to look at the color of the sand here at Bartolome Island, so you can compare it to the next island your mom went to, ok?

 The scenery here from the volcanic eruptions looks very unique and a little bit desolate.

 Only a random cactus grows here and some other dry foliage.

 But who is this?  It is a Galapagos Lava Lizard, that has adapted itself to live in such conditions, and it is also endemic to the Galapagos Islands!  This one is a female, since it has the orange face and neck.

 It must be shedding season, as this Lizard is losing a layer of old skin!

It was time for mom to get back on her Expedition Ship to go to the next island.

JB:  Wow, mom!  These are great new animal friends for me!  Did you bring a Lava Lizard home for me to play with?

~~~~~

 Here is a sneek peak of mom hard at work on her Big World Expedition on the next island!  Is the sand there really black?

Before you go, please sign my GUESTBOOK here, and stop by JB's SMALL WORLD too, thanks!

The Expedition Continues to Bartolome Island! - Part I

Here is more of mom's Big World Expedition in the Galapagos Islands.  What a unique rock formation!

Ok, mom, but where are my animal friends?

Mom told me she spotted this one lone Galapagos Penguin, on the way in to this island.  The Galapagos Penguin species is endemic, and only found on the Galapagos Islands!

 This pesky American Oystercatcher kept walking right in front of mom and wanted his picture taken badly.

He told mom he wanted to be famous just like me!

 

 There were Sally Lightfoot Crabs running rampant in the thousands all over the Galapagos Islands.  So in reality, I now have thousands of Sally Lightfoot Crab friends, which is VERY exciting for me!

 

 This Galapagos Barnacle Blenny was plentiful near the shoreline, and it is also endemic, and only found at the Galapagos Islands!

~~To be continued on next post~~

Sneak peek of what's to come for Part II of mom's Expedition to Bartolome Island!

Before you go, please sign my GUESTBOOK, and stop by JB's SMALL WORLD too, thanks!

Ugly or Beautiful in Their Own Way?

Who do you think lives on this very unique island? 

This is the North Shore of Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos Islands.  Particularly, this area is known as "Cerro Dragon" or Dragon Hill!  

There are volanic formations and beautiful scenery.  What lurks on this island?

Mom was careful to take her Galapagos Naturalist with her on her Big World Expedition in case she had a run-in with any Dragons!

Then mom saw what lived on this island.  There really were Dragons there!  

Then her guide explained that this species are Galapagos Land Iguanas, and they are endemic to only the Galapagos!

These iguanas can grow up to 3 to 5 feet in length and weigh up to 25 pounds.  That's over 3x the size of me, one small JellyBean!

 

 Charles Darwin, who I will talk about in a later post, thought these were the ugliest animals he discovered on the islands!  

Perhaps they are not ugly, but beautiful in their own way?

I love my beautiful new Dragon friends!

Before you go, please sign my GUESTBOOK, and stop by JB's SMALL WORLD too, thanks!

Attention All Galapagos Islands Animals! JB's Mom is Here!

 Manuel MockingBird:  So did you hear that JB's mom was coming to our Islands?  

Maria MockingBird:  I did hear that!  That JB, she is some CoolCat, isn't she?  I know all Galapagos Islands animals are so excited to be her friends!

 JB:  My mom flew by plane, and then went by water on a dingy to the Galapagos Expedition Ship, the M/V Santa Cruz.

For those of you who do not know where the Galapagos Islands are, they are about 600 miles off the west coast of South America, and are part of Ecuador.  96% of the islands are designated as a National Park preserve, and are only inhabited by the indigenous animals.  

Some animals are endemic only to the Galapagos Islands - endemic is a fancy word that means you can not find them anywhere else in the world!  The Galapagos MockingBirds, pictured above, are in fact, endemic!

I can't wait to show you all of my new friends!

~~JB

Before you go, please sign my GUESTBOOK, and stop by JB's SMALL WORLD too, thanks!

Bunny Rabbits and a Gloppy Goose?

 Charli:  JB, come quick!  Some of your friends are outside!

 

 It is your Bunny Rabbit Friends!

 

 And there are lots and LOTS of them!  

I wonder why there are so many, JB?

JB:  Great job, Charli, in helping me keep track of my animal friends!

Charli, I know you are not going to like this, but I have to send mom on a Big World Assignment again soon.
I am sending her to some very interesting islands to get me some very exotic new animal friends.  I think there could be a Gloppy Goose there, and the place mom will go is somewhere near the Earth's equator!

Does anyone know where I will be sending my mom?

Before you go, please sign my GUESTBOOK, and stop by JB's SMALL WORLD too, thanks!