Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2019/01/13
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]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 > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >