[Leica] Iguanas and Hawks

[Nathan Wajsman]

I love the colours and expressions of the land iguanas—it looks like they are smiling at you!

Cheers,
Nathan

Nathan Wajsman

Alicante, Spain
http://www.frozenlight.eu <http://www.frozenlight.eu/>
http:// <http://www.greatpix.eu/>www.greatpix.eu
PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws <http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws>Blog: http://nathansmusings.wordpress.com/ <http://nathansmusings.wordpress.com/>

Cycling: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/belgiangator <http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/belgiangator>

YNWA













> On 13 Jan 2019, at 05:22, Jayanand Govindaraj via LUG <lug at leica-users.org> 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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