There are few native species of mammals on the Galapagos because the islands’ separation from the mainland and because of the difficulty for land mammals to survive an ocean crossing. Aside from two species of seals, the only mammals not introduced by man are some species of rats and bats. Animals brought to the islands by man include goats, dogs, cats, donkeys, horses and the black rat [Rattus rattus].


Sea Lions
These sleek, blubbery, playful creatures are one of the main attractions of the Galapagos. Close relatives of this endemic subspecies exist in the Sea of Japan, on the California coast, and in sea-life aquariums all over the world, but on the beaches of the archipelago the Galapagos sea lions are abundant, easily approachable and not intimidated by humans.

Landing on some beaches you might find yourself in colony of scarred and tired males, exhausted after fighting off male rivals and looking after their harems of cows. On another beach there may be families of cows with their pups and a sea lion bull patrolling the nearby waters, trying to keep his females to himself. In practice, a jealous male may guard his females for up to a month, until hunger and lack sleep exhausts him. At this point a rival male takes over the harem and the old bull skulks off back to the bachelor colony.

Male sea lions are easily distinguished from females because they are generally much bigger, growing up to 250 kg [550 lb], and because they have a high, bulging foreheads in contrast to the flatter female skulls. Mothers give birth to one cub at a time and nurse them for up to two years. Females are tamer than the males and can be approached to within a meter or so. Be carefull of bull sea lions, especially when they are guarding their cows.

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Fur Seals
Although about as numerous as sea lions, endemic fur seals aren’t as easy to see because they don’t lie around sunning themselves on the sand and rocks, preferring instead the cool of caves and grottoes. They are more timid towards humans than other animals, probably because they were almost hunted to extinction for their luxuriant, cinnamon-brown fur, made of two layers of hair. They are smaller than sea lions, broader headed, and they emit a bovine lowing sound rather than a canine bark. Thanks to conservation efforts their numbers have increased and the fur seals are no longer in danger of extinction.

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Whales and Dolphins
One of the great thrills of cruising the islands is when somebody shouts: “Dolphins on the Bow!” Everybody rushes to lean over the rails and watch these streamlined torpedoes racing along at the sharp end of the boat, breaking surface for a split second in a shower of spray. There are so many dolphins in the Galapagos waters that if you take a boat cruise you’re almost certain to have this exhilarating experience. If you’re lucky you’ll see a mother swimming at high speed with cubs who keep so close that they seem to be joined by an invisible cord. Suddenly, as quickly as they’ve come, the playful dolphins disappear, leaving you wondering where they’ve gone and what they’re doing next.

Several species of dolphins have been sighted here, but the ones that play with the ships are the bottle-nosed variety. Several whale species are also sighted regularly, including the common rorqual, sei, sperm, killer, humpback and blue. Whale sightings are usually so brief and distant that it’s difficult to identify the species.

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|Article contributed by Dominic Hamilton|||

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