Small and rather inconspicuous, Española lies in the southeastern region of the Galápagos Islands. Being one of the oldest islands of the archipelago, several of the species that inhabit this arid island are unique and endemic, not found anywhere else in the world. No humans are permitted to live on Española, so this special place belongs entirely to unique and beautiful creatures like Galapagos sea lions, waved albatrosses, marine iguanas and many others. Protected by strict regulations of the Galapagos National Park Directorate, these amazing animals remain ecologically naïve, almost oblivious to our presence.
5/29/2025
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National Geographic Gemini
Genovesa Island
Genovesa is considered one of the Galapagos crown jewels, and today it was showing off all of its splendor. Immediately after breakfast we put on our sturdy shoes and set out to explore Prince Philip’s Steps. This area is known for opportunities to observe not only large colonies of nesting Nazca and red-footed boobies, but maybe, just maybe, the short-eared owl which exhibits diurnal behavior on this island. After this walk we got ready for a dip in the Pacific Ocean and snorkeling along the inner coast of this caldera. The afternoon was equally amazing as we disembarked to explore Darwin Bay, along a short and easy trail that was packed with wildlife. Here we observed not only nesting frigatebirds, red-footed boobies, and Nazca boobies, but also a few yellow-crowned night herons. It was another incredible afternoon in the Galapagos Islands.
