Conservation Status: Stable

One of the icons of the Galápagos, the Blue-Footed Booby hugs the coasts of the islands to dive for fish and nest in ground-level colonies. The Blue-Footed Booby’s famous mating ritual is an elaborate dance with stomping feet and a balletic pose called “skypointing.”

Blue-Footed Booby

Conservation status: Vulnerable

An animal once described by Charles Darwin as “ugly” and with “a singularly stupid appearance,” the golden Galápagos Land Iguana exhibits a unique prehistoric quality complete with a spiked crown and clawed feet. 

Galápagos Land Iguana

Conservation Status: Vulnerable, but stable

The Flightless Cormorant is among the world’s rarest species of birds, with only an estimated 1,000 alive today. These birds are strangely ill-equipped for their environments; with wings too 
short to fly and feathers too thin to be waterproof, the birds will oftentimes dive for prey along the coast and then dry off in the sunlight.  

Flightless Cormorant

Conservation status: Vulnerable

The giant Galápagos tortoise lumbers slowly through the tall grasses of the islands; though once nearly hunted to extinction, their population, while still vulnerable, has stabilized since the 1970s due to conservation efforts. The diversity evident in their shells, sizes, and colors again suggested to Charles Darwin a Theory of Natural Selection.

Galápagos Tortoise

Conservation Status: Endangered, population decreasing

The 13 species of finches found throughout the Galápagos Islands formed the basis of Charles Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection; each species wields a distinct beak molded by the various environmental demands. 

Darwin’s (Galápagos) Finch

Conservation status: Unknown

Found commonly throughout the islands, the Sally Lightfoot Crab presents a burst of neon color as it scurries across rocks and along the sand in search of algae and small prey. 


Sally Lightfoot Crabs

Conservation Status: Endangered, population decreasing

Although classified as an endangered species globally, the sea lions of the Galápagos can be found throughout the islands basking in the sun, sleeping on the sand, and playing. Despite being unabashedly awkward on land with their slow-moving side-to-side lurching movements, sea lions quickly become athletic and elegant swimmers capable of weaving easily through the underwater landscapes along the coasts. 


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