This photo was taken at the top of the Espanola Island plateau. Here our group was listening to the registered naturalist and guide of the Galapagos Island group. It was not easy to walk through the trail marked by 16 inches high stakes, that are painted white at the top. The path is very rocky and usually very windy.
Espaņola is the oldest and the southernmost island in the Galapagos Island chain. The trip across open waters can be quite rough especially during August and September.
Espaņola's remote location helped make it a unique jewel with a large number of endemic creatures. Secluded from the other islands, wildlife on Espaņola adapted to the island's environment and natural resources.
Wildlife is the highlight of Espaņola and the star of the show is the Waved Albatross. The island's steep cliffs serve as the perfect runways for these large birds which take off for their ocean feeding grounds near the mainland of Ecuador and Peru abandoning the island between January and March. Known as endemic to the island, Espaņola is the Waved Albatross's only nesting place. Each April the males return to Espaņola followed shortly thereafter by the females. Mating for life, their ritual begins with the male's annual dance to re-attract his mate. The performance can take up to 5 days consisting of a series of strutting, honking, and beak fencing. Once the pair is reacquainted they produce a single egg and share the responsibility of incubation. The colony remains based on Espaņola until December when the chick is fully grown. By January most of the colony leaves the island to fish along the Humboldt Current. Young Albatross do not return to Espaņola until their 4th or 5th year when they return to seek a mate.
Information on Espanola Island taken from http://www.galapagosonline.com/Islands/islands/Espanola/Espanola.html
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Image Size: Large (3872 x 2592)
Lens: VR 18-200mm F/3.5-5.6 G
Focal Length: 18mm
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1/250 sec - F/8.0
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Image Comment: Copyright (C) 2008 Andre' Salvador
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