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One of the tiniest and “newest” geologically speaking islands in the archipelago is Fernandina. There is still an active volcano there that erupted about four months ago, and due to its tremendous activity, it is constantly changing. When we got to the island this time, we were pleasantly pleased to see a Galapagos Hawk on Fernandina Island. This encounter remarkably set the tone for the remainder of our journey.
The Starter
Guests land dry on a cement dock constructed by humans in Fernandina. There is enough room for 16 passengers to disembark in this tiny, tight space. Once there, each group starts moving as fast as possible to the following location, allowing the next set of visitors to disembark. Once the path passes through a narrow and deep mangrove forest, parties can separate, with one heading interior and the other to the right towards the sea.
The good thing about this particular afternoon was that there was a baby Galapagos Hawk on Fernandina right at the start of the route, perched directly on the sign that indicates how far people can walk! There before us was the apex predator in the Galapagos! Perched serenely, as though on a pedestal, so that others may gaze at it with awe.
The Galapagos hawk is the islands’ apex predator. It was exceptionally fortunate that we could observe not one but two BIG15 Group emblematic species in the exact location, side by side, as there was a sizeable marine iguana not too far from where we first noticed it! They could be in the same photo because they were that close to one another. It was particularly amusing because it was an uncommon instance of a predator standing directly next to its prey. Apart from that, nothing happened because, in this particular situation, the Galapagos hawk on Fernandina was just too immature, and the marine iguana was too giant for the hawk to attack.
The Entrée
We were all fairly delighted to see the hawk so early in the hike, so we set out down the trails with lots of energy. And Fernandina did not let me down! We were able to go to a far-off location really quickly because several of the younger members of my group were able to walk quickly. There is a hidden lake surrounded by mangroves far away from the coast. This is a peaceful, isolated area where, on this particular day, we were able to see turtles swimming beside a group of rays who were lazily making circles in the water.
We strolled around that unique location for a while before moving on to other areas of this Fernandina Island tourist destination. As usual, there was abundant life, including small lava lizards having a fast snack on grasshoppers. Not far from where we were, some enormous alpha male sea lions were likewise occupied in patrolling their territory. Fernandina had it all planned out for us, looking back.
The Best for Last: Galapagos Hawk on Fernandina Island
On this particular day, though, the trip’s conclusion was the highlight of our visit. We had to take the same route back to the artificial dock to board the pangas and return to the ship. It was a coincidence that another adult Galapagos hawk was on Fernandina this time, although it was more significant than the last one. What’s more? In actuality, it was consuming the carcass of a dead sea lion cub!
Even though it was hidden in a lava fissure and on the ground, the hawk could still see almost everything that came in its direction. Everyone was taken aback by how close we could approach, and the hawk seemed unaffected by us as it ate! Once more, we had plenty of time to snap lots of photos, and while some people may not have been interested in witnessing such a vulgar show, those who were could do so. This was an excellent way to bid Fernandina farewell, demonstrating how the Galapagos Islands embody the circle of life!
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