My Favorite Animals of the Galapagos

December 28, 1981

Here are a few of Troy's drawings and descriptions that resulted from a recent trip to the Galapagos Islands. Marine Iguana

Marine Iguanas live on all the main islands of the Galapagos. They live mostly on land but they swim and eat in the water. They have two positions on land. After swimming, they lie flat on the hot lava, basking in the sun to warm their bodies. After they are warm, they lie in the second position, facing the sun and lifting their bodies slightly. This keeps them from getting too warm. Masked Booby

I want to tell you something special about the Masked Booby I have drawn here. It can dive like the U.S. Air Force fighter planes into the water for fish. They are really just like jets. I'd hate to be the fish they were diving for. Sally Light-Foot Crab

Next come the Sally Light-Foot Crabs. They are called Sally Light-Foot Crabs because they zoom like the speed of light. That's how they got their names.

They are very thoughtful critters and although they are shy and hide under rocks, I got many pictures of them. American Flamingo

There are also flamingos in the Galapagos. They live at an inland lake of salt water. The flamingo gets its food by stomping in the mud on the lake bottom and stirring up insects. Then it feels the insects with its feet. When it does, it bends down its long neck and beak and eats the insects