[Leica] Iguanas and Hawks

[Jim Nichols]

This is a great series, Jayanand.  Of the Marine Iguanas, the "Sunning" 
shot is my favorite.

The Land Iguana is so colorful, it is hard to make a choice. Beautiful 
images.

The Juvenile Hawk is a real charmer.  Thanks for sharing.

Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA

On 1/12/2019 10:22 PM, Jayanand Govindaraj via LUG wrote:
> The next installment of Galapagos wildlife!
>
> One of the iconic species in the Galapagos is the Iguana. Most know about
> the Marine Iguana, but there is also a Land Iguana which populates the
> interior. Like all the fauna of the Galapagos, they show no fear of humans,
> and anyone can approach them and get very close, though the authorities,
> very sensibly,  have prescribed a limit of 6 feet as the closest that
> tourists are allowed to get to for all the animals/birds there.
>
> The Marine Iguana is a unique species that has adapted itself to swimming
> and diving in order to harvest the algae it lives on, making it an aquatic
> reptile, and it is endemic to the Galapagos. They are gregarious and live
> in large colonies:
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181125-2590.jpg.html
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181129-5852.jpg.html
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181126-4077.jpg.html
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181126-4099.jpg.html
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181126-4015.jpg.html
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181126-3910.jpg.html
>
> Land Iguanas are also endemic to the Galapagos. With fresh water being very
> scarce on the islands, which is the primary reason they never really got
> inhabited by humans, the Land Iguanas primarily live on the prickly pear
> cactus, which gives them all the moisture they need. They are highly
> territorial, and live singly, defending territories:
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181125-3296.jpg.html
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181125-3303.jpg.html
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181127-4664.jpg.html
>
> On Isabela Island, we also ran into a very cooperative Immature Galapagos
> Hawk, which posed for us for around half an hour perched on the same
> branch. This is the raptor species found on the island that is seen
> frequently, though it is thought that only around 200 breeding pairs
> survive. Here are the three studies of junior:
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181127-4831.jpg.html
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181127-4869.jpg.html
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181127-4883.jpg.html
>
> Please see LARGE.
>
> Comments and criticism, as ever, welcome
>
> Cheers
> Jayanand
>
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