Over intersession 15 Royals, along with two professors, traversed down to the Equator to study Tropical Biology -195, a class you just might want to sign up for, on the Galapagos Islands. I was lucky enough to be one of those 15 Royals, and it was two weeks truly filled with experiences and education that I will never forget. I must credit much of the information I learned, and plan to pass to readers here, to Scranton’s very own Dr. Gary Kwiecinski and Dr. Amelia Randich, as well as our wonderful Galapagos tour guide, Paul McFarling.

600 miles off the coast of mainland Ecuador, in the Pacific Ocean sit the Galapagos: a volcanic archipelago (group of islands) that is about four million years old. They are some of the most isolated, and for much of history, desolate islands on Earth- that is, desolate of human interest. The environment is very unique, and for humans it was historically difficult to permanently settle in as you may know if you have watched Ron Howard’s hit movie: Eden (a film about settlers in the Galapagos that I watched on one of our three planes rides to the islands). But, of course, animals have been able to thrive on these islands for millions of years - long before humans gave any more interest to the islands than for use as a penial colony. Many of the animals (and plants) didn’t chose to come to the islands, for almost all of them it was simply fate.  

Some of the non-endemic (endemic refers to a species only found naturally in one place) species were suspected to have been carried by the currents and others blown across hundreds of miles of ocean in the wind. But it is not their journeys that is most impressive, it is their ability to survive in their new environment. Slight differences amongst animals and plants of the same (or similar) species on different islands is what famously drew Charles Darwin’s attention and led him to develop his theory of Natural Selection.

To list all of the species that inhabit the Galapagos would be impossible, so I am going to share a few of my favorites with the hopes that many of you are persuaded to take this once-in-a-lifetime trip as I was! The Galapagos Penguin, the Galapagos Giant Tortise, and the Galapagos Sea Lion were just a few of the hundreds of species that we saw, and they are endemic species that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

The Galapagos Penguin is the only penguin species that can be found North of the Equator. It is one of the rarest penguin species in population, and Galapagos Penguins are the shortest penguins in stature! Carried by the cold water of the Humboldt Current from Antarctica all the way to the Galapagos, these penguins have had to adapt their breeding habits: becoming opportunists, their behavioral habits: not gathering in large colonies, and their temperature regulation methods: resting in the shade of lava caves. We were lucky enough to get to see the elusive penguins feeding on our last day! By fate, our snorkeling site had to be adjusted due to rough waves, and in our new location, three penguins swam around our snorkel group hunting small fish.

The Galapagos Giant Tortoise has many subspecies that vary from island to island. One of the species is the namesake of the archipelago: the Saddle-Backed Tortoise. In old Spanish, Galapago means saddle; the shell shape of one subspecies of tortoise is shaped as such. Hence, the islands are named the Galapagos after “saddle” shaped tortoises. The picture below does not show a Saddle-Backed Tortoise, it pictures another subspecies. The Galapagos is one of the last places on Earth where Giant Tortoises can be found naturally.

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Finally, the Galapagos Sea Lion, not to be confused with other Sea Lion species, is about as common in some places on San Cristobal Island as squirrels are here in Scranton. This species is defined by its loud vocals and curious nature. These characteristics are what makes Galapagos Sea Lions so special. La Loberia, a beach named after the species, was a particularly special excursion the group took. There, playful, juvenile Galapagos Sea Lions swarmed us as we snorkeled amongst thousands of fish and sea turtles!

But, don’t take it from me, here is what some of the other trip participants had to say about their experience.

Michael Peterson, a sophomore Environmental Science major said that what he enjoyed the most [about the trip,] was anywhere there was a beach, there were tons of sea lions messing around and having fun.

“I would 100% recommend this trip to anyone with even the slightest thought of doing it. The memories and experiences I had were truly one of a kind,” Peterson said.  

Quinn Shields, a sophomore Biology major said this is a trip trip is an opportunity of a lifetime.  

“After reflection on the trip, I’ve decided that what I enjoyed most about this experience was the opportunity to travel somewhere so unique with such a diverse group of students. I enjoyed creating a lifelong bond with students from various majors while studying a topic we all share an interest in. I would 100% recommend this trip to anyone who is interested because the Galapagos Islands [study abroad] is truly a transformational trip that will leave you with a new perspective on wildlife and conservation forever,”  

So, if you have an interest in tropical biology, like animals, or would like to take a once-in-a-lifetime science class, be on the lookout for a Galapagos study abroad email.