Galapagos Hawk

 

In 1978 UNESCO recognized the islands as a World Heritage Site and as a biosphere reserve in 1985. In 1986, the 27,000 sq mi. of ocean surrounding the islands was declared a marine reserve, second in size only to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. In 1990 the archipelago became a whale sanctuary.

Today, five of the islands, have a total population of about 23,000 people and the principle language is Spanish. The largest population lives in the town of Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz where the Charles Darwin Research Station was created in 1964. About 200,000 people visit the Galapagos Islands every year.

I was extremely fortunate to grab these images of a Galapagos Hawk with a Santiago Rice Rat. Only a very small number of people are allowed on each island every day and it is highly restricted where you can go. A single path weaves through the island and venturing off is not allowed. Our guide, Rosie, gave me permission to pursue this shot as we were not in a protected area at the time.

Our ship, The Coral 1 anchored near the island of Santiago.