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Flowing lava.

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00:00:12,221 --> 00:00:13,897
Sun scarred landscapes.

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00:00:15,238 --> 00:00:17,360
And few signs of life

4
00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:20,087
that early explorers
to name the Galapagos Islands

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00:00:20,247 --> 00:00:22,131
hell on earth.

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00:00:23,712 --> 00:00:26,035
But beyond these parched beginnings,

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00:00:26,195 --> 00:00:30,509
this volcanic archipelago
is now our planet's greatest Eden.

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00:00:36,615 --> 00:00:40,003
A wilderness so pristine and rich in life

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00:00:40,163 --> 00:00:44,760
it allowed one man's studies
to alter our entire view of the natural world.

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00:00:47,170 --> 00:00:49,252
Older islands fade away

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00:00:51,214 --> 00:00:53,947
while new ones emerge
from beneath the sea.

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00:00:56,853 --> 00:00:58,896
The Galapagos continue to evolve

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00:00:59,056 --> 00:01:01,549
and continues to be

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00:01:01,709 --> 00:01:05,099
nature's greatest evolutionary arboratory.

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00:01:54,839 --> 00:01:56,611
The Galapagos Islands rank among

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00:01:56,771 --> 00:02:00,142
the most spectacular
scientific discoveries in history.

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00:02:05,614 --> 00:02:09,332
Situated 1,000 km west of Ecuador
in South America,

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00:02:10,224 --> 00:02:13,569
the archipelago contains 13 main islands

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00:02:13,729 --> 00:02:16,731
and a hundred or so
smaller rocks and reefs.

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00:02:24,590 --> 00:02:26,914
Some are so desolate and barren,

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00:02:27,074 --> 00:02:29,090
they reveal few signs of life.

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00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:35,750
Others are rich haven providing a home

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00:02:35,910 --> 00:02:38,560
to bizarre and unique creatures.

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00:02:46,354 --> 00:02:49,266
Human influence has been so limited
across the islands,

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00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:52,690
it allowed one man to study and rethink

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00:02:52,850 --> 00:02:54,890
the laws of nature.

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00:03:03,966 --> 00:03:07,784
In 1835, 26 year old Charles Darwin

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00:03:07,944 --> 00:03:11,170
sailed to the Galapagos Islands
in HMS Beagle.

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00:03:13,812 --> 00:03:17,080
The ship's mission was
to survey the coast of South America.

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00:03:20,969 --> 00:03:22,727
Darwin was the ship's botanist.

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00:03:27,127 --> 00:03:31,000
Thirty years later,
Darwin published his theory of evolution,

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00:03:31,147 --> 00:03:34,440
one of the most revolutionary ideas
science has ever known.

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00:03:38,397 --> 00:03:41,961
It was the islands' small land birds
like finches and mockingbirds

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00:03:42,121 --> 00:03:45,120
that proved key to Charles Darwin's theory.

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00:03:47,944 --> 00:03:50,931
Each of the 13 species of finch
has a different beak

36
00:03:51,091 --> 00:03:53,012
for a different purpose.

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00:03:55,370 --> 00:03:57,827
Some are thick and heavy
for crushing seeds.

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00:04:00,147 --> 00:04:03,709
Others long and pointed
for accessing pollen in flowers.

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00:04:06,970 --> 00:04:09,418
They all descended from a common ancestor

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00:04:09,578 --> 00:04:12,274
that arrived on the islands
millions of years ago.

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00:04:15,826 --> 00:04:19,600
The finches established themselves
and began to determine territories.

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00:04:23,946 --> 00:04:26,190
With no competition from other birds,

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00:04:26,350 --> 00:04:27,948
they diversified.

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00:04:30,148 --> 00:04:33,421
They developed unique adaptations
for each type of habitat.

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00:04:35,533 --> 00:04:37,208
New species were born.

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00:04:44,687 --> 00:04:46,943
Darwin explained that natural selection

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00:04:47,103 --> 00:04:50,298
was the driving force
behind this rapid evolution.

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00:04:55,008 --> 00:04:57,337
Following the publication of his theory,

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00:04:57,497 --> 00:05:02,120
these ordinary looking small birds
have been given a new collective name,

50
00:05:04,162 --> 00:05:05,917
Darwin's finches.

51
00:05:16,952 --> 00:05:20,680
The Galapagos Islands
were named after their giant tortoises.

52
00:05:31,394 --> 00:05:34,500
The old Spanish word, galapago,
meant saddle.

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00:05:34,660 --> 00:05:37,263
A term early explorers
used for the tortoises

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00:05:37,423 --> 00:05:39,200
due to the shape of their shells.

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00:05:48,501 --> 00:05:51,102
The Galapagos tortoise
is the largest in the world.

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00:05:53,453 --> 00:05:55,709
Some reach a meter and a half in length

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00:05:57,594 --> 00:05:59,634
and can weigh 250 kg.

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00:06:07,034 --> 00:06:10,409
These slow moving reptiles
lead an uncomplicated life.

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00:06:19,269 --> 00:06:22,421
Most days are spent
grazing on grass and leaves

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00:06:31,348 --> 00:06:33,601
in between basking in the sun.

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00:06:38,337 --> 00:06:39,893
Like all reptiles,

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00:06:40,053 --> 00:06:43,355
giant tortoises rely on the sun
to warm their bodies

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00:06:43,515 --> 00:06:44,988
and become active.

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00:06:47,783 --> 00:06:50,833
However, the midday sun
can be too much to bear

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00:06:50,993 --> 00:06:53,033
even for cold blooded creatures.

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00:06:59,443 --> 00:07:03,760
Fortunately, the islands' lakes don't just
provide a valuable source of drinking water.

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00:07:12,183 --> 00:07:15,920
Bathing in the muddy shallows
is the perfect way to cool down.

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00:07:25,447 --> 00:07:28,721
A slow metabolism
and large internal stores of water

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00:07:28,881 --> 00:07:31,892
allow the tortoises to survive
for up to a year

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00:07:32,052 --> 00:07:34,014
without eating or drinking.

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00:07:38,370 --> 00:07:40,784
Inactivity also helps.

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00:07:40,944 --> 00:07:43,552
They sleep for around 16 hours a day.

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00:07:49,506 --> 00:07:52,617
These giants can live for over 150 years.

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00:07:58,434 --> 00:08:00,638
Darwin noted a variation
in the shape of the shell

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00:08:00,798 --> 00:08:03,008
of tortoises from different islands.

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00:08:04,968 --> 00:08:07,057
This became additional evidence

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00:08:07,217 --> 00:08:09,778
for developing his theory of evolution.

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00:08:20,307 --> 00:08:23,734
Galapagos creatures evolve
and adapt to their habitat.

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00:08:24,666 --> 00:08:27,452
And their island homes
are ever changing too.

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00:08:32,430 --> 00:08:35,700
The youngest islands furthest west
are still forming.

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00:08:37,246 --> 00:08:41,266
A static volcanic hot spot
1,000 km beneath the sea

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00:08:41,426 --> 00:08:44,765
continually forces lava to the surface.

83
00:08:49,937 --> 00:08:52,549
These newly formed masses eventually cool

84
00:08:52,709 --> 00:08:56,460
and then drag southeast
at a rate of 5 cm a year

85
00:08:56,620 --> 00:08:59,569
from shifting oceanic plates.

86
00:09:06,100 --> 00:09:08,964
On their 200 km journey east,

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00:09:09,124 --> 00:09:10,846
they witness many changes.

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00:09:15,447 --> 00:09:18,960
Ultimately all Galapagos islands
face the same fate.

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00:09:24,744 --> 00:09:27,825
Disappearing beneath the ocean
without a trace.

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00:09:35,517 --> 00:09:38,680
Darwin described how eager he was
to witness an active volcano.

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00:09:39,753 --> 00:09:42,366
Although there were no eruptions
during his visit,

92
00:09:42,526 --> 00:09:46,164
his geological observations
altered many volcanic theories.

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00:09:52,196 --> 00:09:56,480
The newest and most westernly
Galapagos island is Fernandina.

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00:09:59,081 --> 00:10:02,656
Still situated
directly over the oceanic hot spot,

95
00:10:02,816 --> 00:10:05,434
this volcanic mass has erupted 24 times

96
00:10:05,594 --> 00:10:07,884
in the past 200 years.

97
00:10:10,644 --> 00:10:13,924
It's one of the youngest
and most active volcanoes on earth.

98
00:10:18,124 --> 00:10:21,594
Fernandina's peak
stretches 1,500 meters high

99
00:10:23,704 --> 00:10:26,864
and its crater spans 6-1/2 km.

100
00:10:35,147 --> 00:10:39,108
The island's lava clad rocky shores
and black sand beaches

101
00:10:39,268 --> 00:10:43,178
seem the most forbidding
of all the Galapagos Islands.

102
00:10:43,338 --> 00:10:46,180
Yet life has started to take hold.

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00:10:53,396 --> 00:10:56,166
Pioneer plants such as these lava cactus

104
00:10:56,326 --> 00:10:58,289
are often first to take root.

105
00:10:59,627 --> 00:11:02,729
Their seeds carry from older islands
by bird droppings

106
00:11:02,889 --> 00:11:05,490
or directly by the wind.

107
00:11:10,128 --> 00:11:14,000
But there is one creature
that has colonized the entire archipelago

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00:11:14,173 --> 00:11:17,300
and its mode of travel relies on the sea.

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00:11:21,998 --> 00:11:24,693
Marine iguanas are excellent swimmers.

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00:11:27,220 --> 00:11:29,176
They can reach over a meter in length

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00:11:29,336 --> 00:11:31,623
and weigh as much as 9 kg.

112
00:11:34,473 --> 00:11:37,572
Over 250,000 of these swimming dragons

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00:11:37,732 --> 00:11:39,367
inhabit the Galapagos.

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00:11:41,479 --> 00:11:44,813
They are the world's only species
that marine lizard.

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00:11:50,263 --> 00:11:54,680
It's thought that millions of years ago,
land dwelling iguanas from South America

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00:11:54,843 --> 00:11:57,543
drifted out to sea on floating debris.

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00:12:03,897 --> 00:12:05,856
They eventually landed on the islands.

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00:12:14,675 --> 00:12:18,277
Isolated from the main land,
a new iguana evolved

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00:12:18,437 --> 00:12:20,761
and adapted to life at sea.

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00:12:24,527 --> 00:12:27,925
Like all iguanas, this species is vegetarian.

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00:12:28,815 --> 00:12:32,200
Yet Fernandina offers very little
in the way of visible food.

122
00:12:34,845 --> 00:12:36,925
But this species rarely goes hungry.

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00:12:42,515 --> 00:12:46,285
Being cold blooded, iguanas need to raise
their body temperatures

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00:12:46,445 --> 00:12:50,240
to approximately 36° C in order to function.

125
00:12:55,475 --> 00:12:58,615
After an hour or so
basking in the equatorial sun,

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00:12:58,775 --> 00:13:01,475
this iguana launches its feeding mission.

127
00:13:18,122 --> 00:13:22,280
A flattened tail allows it to dive down
to depths of 12 meters

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00:13:23,797 --> 00:13:26,243
to access tufts of red and green algae

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00:13:26,403 --> 00:13:28,115
on the submerged rocks.

130
00:13:31,710 --> 00:13:36,120
A shortened blunt snout allows it
to crop the plant close to its face.

131
00:13:41,014 --> 00:13:43,756
This algae is the marine iguana's
exclusive diet.

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00:13:51,921 --> 00:13:55,300
Fernandina's currents are surprisingly cold.

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00:14:01,135 --> 00:14:05,560
The iguana's body temperature
can plummet 10° on an extended dive.

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00:14:08,405 --> 00:14:11,757
After just 10 minutes,
its muscles begin seizing up.

135
00:14:14,529 --> 00:14:17,495
Getting back to dry land in time
is critical to survival.

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00:14:43,514 --> 00:14:46,454
Long, sharp, recurved claws
enable the lizard

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00:14:46,614 --> 00:14:49,384
to hold fast to the lava in heavy seas

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00:14:49,544 --> 00:14:51,344
or when submerged.

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00:14:57,124 --> 00:15:01,200
Along with the algae, marine iguanas ingest
a great deal of salt.

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00:15:03,854 --> 00:15:06,023
Specially adapted glands above each eye

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00:15:06,183 --> 00:15:08,914
are connected by ducts to each nostril.

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00:15:10,714 --> 00:15:12,839
The excess salt is sneezed out.

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00:15:18,714 --> 00:15:20,444
Only the larger marine iguanas

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00:15:20,604 --> 00:15:23,824
risk running
the gauntlet of the islands' chilling seas.

145
00:15:30,072 --> 00:15:32,349
Smaller individuals choose a safer option

146
00:15:32,509 --> 00:15:35,974
and graze only at low tide on dry land.

147
00:15:51,504 --> 00:15:54,574
Fernandina is less than
half a million years old

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00:15:54,734 --> 00:15:57,424
and offers little sanctuary
to land living creatures.

149
00:16:02,634 --> 00:16:04,919
But drifting 75 km further east

150
00:16:05,079 --> 00:16:07,894
are islands more than twice its age

151
00:16:08,054 --> 00:16:10,184
and different worlds entirely.

152
00:16:13,244 --> 00:16:16,624
Isabella is the largest
of all the Galapagos Islands.

153
00:16:19,257 --> 00:16:22,254
Consisting of six overlapping volcanoes,

154
00:16:22,414 --> 00:16:24,544
its over 100 km long.

155
00:16:25,514 --> 00:16:29,280
It makes up half of the total land area
of the Galapagos.

156
00:16:42,035 --> 00:16:45,680
The volcanic hot spot
still simmers beneath Isabella's seas.

157
00:16:51,169 --> 00:16:55,206
While above the surface, a creature
key to Darwin's evolutionary theory

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00:16:55,366 --> 00:16:57,302
prepares to dive the deep.

159
00:17:01,052 --> 00:17:03,502
This cormorant is unique to the Galapagos.

160
00:17:04,632 --> 00:17:08,120
Its wings are disproportionately small
to the size of its body.

161
00:17:09,002 --> 00:17:12,560
They're about one third the size required
for it to take to the air.

162
00:17:21,144 --> 00:17:23,911
This species has evolved to be flightless.

163
00:17:30,026 --> 00:17:33,042
Its legs are much stronger
than those of other cormorants.

164
00:17:33,978 --> 00:17:37,238
Enlarged feet propel
its stream lined meter long body

165
00:17:37,398 --> 00:17:39,931
in search of octopus and small fish.

166
00:17:45,929 --> 00:17:47,766
Darwin noted that the flightless cormorant

167
00:17:47,926 --> 00:17:50,831
could not have swum
from the mainland to the islands.

168
00:17:52,006 --> 00:17:55,398
It never ventures
further than 100 meters from the shore.

169
00:17:57,136 --> 00:17:59,218
It diverged from its flighted cousins

170
00:17:59,378 --> 00:18:02,643
and eventually became marooned
on the islands.

171
00:18:06,763 --> 00:18:10,429
An abundance of food
and an absence of predators

172
00:18:10,589 --> 00:18:13,033
has allowed this mutant bird to flourish.

173
00:18:14,177 --> 00:18:16,758
Its the largest of all cormorant species.

174
00:18:24,146 --> 00:18:26,640
Seaweed makes the perfect nest material

175
00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:29,009
on top of jagged lava rock.

176
00:18:33,199 --> 00:18:35,688
Both parents play a part
in raising their young.

177
00:18:40,295 --> 00:18:42,134
Although it can no longer fly,

178
00:18:42,294 --> 00:18:44,912
the bird still holds its wings up to dry.

179
00:18:45,923 --> 00:18:49,065
It's a memory left over
from ancestral habits.

180
00:19:04,857 --> 00:19:08,695
Further inland, saltwater lagoons
provide the perfect refuge

181
00:19:08,855 --> 00:19:11,930
to one of the world's most iconic birds.

182
00:19:17,710 --> 00:19:20,594
Greater flamingos
usually live in large colonies

183
00:19:20,754 --> 00:19:22,352
of up to 10,000.

184
00:19:28,994 --> 00:19:31,892
The Galapagos plays home
to the world's smallest population

185
00:19:32,052 --> 00:19:34,469
numbering less than 600.

186
00:19:44,017 --> 00:19:46,141
Most of their day is spent feeding.

187
00:19:50,543 --> 00:19:53,669
The shallow water enables them
to turn their heads upside down

188
00:19:53,829 --> 00:19:55,859
and sweep from side to side.

189
00:19:59,970 --> 00:20:03,033
They filter up to 20 mouthfuls a second,

190
00:20:03,193 --> 00:20:05,681
separating brine shrimp
and small crustaceans

191
00:20:05,841 --> 00:20:07,860
from the mud and silt.

192
00:20:15,930 --> 00:20:20,240
The consumption of shrimp
provides the pink pigment of their feathers.

193
00:20:25,063 --> 00:20:27,264
The small population size of the Galapagos

194
00:20:27,424 --> 00:20:30,380
has resulted in changes
to their breeding behavior.

195
00:20:35,110 --> 00:20:38,870
Flamingo populations elsewhere
rely on very large groups of birds

196
00:20:39,030 --> 00:20:40,579
for breeding to occur.

197
00:20:42,690 --> 00:20:46,560
Galapagos flamingos can breed
with just a few pairs present.

198
00:20:50,324 --> 00:20:52,210
It's the start of the nesting season,

199
00:20:52,370 --> 00:20:54,990
and their unique courtship ritual begins.

200
00:21:01,300 --> 00:21:03,470
Males and females mate for life.

201
00:21:03,630 --> 00:21:07,520
These coordinated displays
are key to reaffirming their bonds.

202
00:21:13,070 --> 00:21:16,948
Wing salutes,
turning their heads in unison,

203
00:21:17,108 --> 00:21:20,570
and twist preening
are important courtship signals.

204
00:21:29,309 --> 00:21:32,680
The Galapagos flamingos
originally flew in from the Caribbean.

205
00:21:34,660 --> 00:21:38,010
Whereas one mammal swam over 5,000 km

206
00:21:38,170 --> 00:21:40,153
to set up home here.

207
00:21:55,970 --> 00:21:58,549
Galapagos sea lions
arrived from California.

208
00:22:02,620 --> 00:22:05,720
They're slightly smaller
than their North American relatives.

209
00:22:09,951 --> 00:22:14,560
But at over 2 meters in length
and weighing as much as 250 kg,

210
00:22:14,728 --> 00:22:19,080
they are by far the largest mammals
of the entire Galapagos Islands.

211
00:22:22,569 --> 00:22:25,760
They're most likely
one of the first animals Darwin encountered

212
00:22:25,923 --> 00:22:28,651
when he came ashore around 180 years ago.

213
00:22:32,926 --> 00:22:36,426
Sea lions are well adapted
to a semi-aquatic lifestyle.

214
00:22:38,172 --> 00:22:39,976
Along with a streamlined body,

215
00:22:40,136 --> 00:22:42,859
they can control their hind flippers
independently.

216
00:22:45,543 --> 00:22:48,158
This makes them far more agile
than true seals.

217
00:22:56,399 --> 00:22:58,689
Females give birth to just one pup

218
00:22:58,849 --> 00:23:01,621
and remain with them on shore
for the first week.

219
00:23:08,872 --> 00:23:12,179
After this, they go off on foraging trips

220
00:23:12,339 --> 00:23:14,464
that can last up to three days.

221
00:23:24,332 --> 00:23:26,251
Pups left behind gather in nurseries

222
00:23:26,411 --> 00:23:28,618
where they socialize and play.

223
00:23:43,419 --> 00:23:45,912
One female remains behind to keep watch.

224
00:24:07,849 --> 00:24:10,748
When returning from a trip,
females alert their pups

225
00:24:10,908 --> 00:24:12,987
with distinctive calls.

226
00:24:24,430 --> 00:24:26,930
These reunions initially rely on the mothers.

227
00:24:34,217 --> 00:24:37,540
But once they're older,
the youngsters call out too.

228
00:25:03,103 --> 00:25:05,440
Pups are suckled for up to 12 months,

229
00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:08,504
three times longer
than many other seal species.

230
00:25:17,860 --> 00:25:21,750
Adult male sea lions
play no role in raising their young.

231
00:25:23,324 --> 00:25:26,390
A dominant bull
also known as a beach master

232
00:25:28,310 --> 00:25:32,800
spends the majority of his day
patrolling the territory occupied by his harem.

233
00:25:39,820 --> 00:25:43,030
This particular male
has some unwanted company.

234
00:26:21,630 --> 00:26:23,669
The intruder is defeated

235
00:26:23,829 --> 00:26:25,333
for now at least.

236
00:26:36,258 --> 00:26:39,440
Keeping other males at bay
is exhausting work.

237
00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:43,143
Some beach masters succeed
for just a few days.

238
00:26:43,303 --> 00:26:47,760
Even the toughest only manage to protect
their patch for a maximum of three months.

239
00:26:54,710 --> 00:26:58,013
With the storm over, everyone can relax.

240
00:27:10,629 --> 00:27:14,010
However, another predator
prepares to move in.

241
00:27:19,940 --> 00:27:23,960
It's been patiently waiting
for the sea lions to drop their guard.

242
00:27:32,970 --> 00:27:35,130
Lava lizards are carnivores.

243
00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:41,130
This one has singled out its prey.

244
00:27:52,078 --> 00:27:54,892
Flies are a constant irritation
to the sea lions

245
00:27:55,052 --> 00:27:57,470
so they welcome
this free grooming service.

246
00:28:00,970 --> 00:28:05,560
These Galapagos reptiles play an important role
in controlling insect populations.

247
00:28:16,791 --> 00:28:19,484
Male lava lizards can live up to 10 years

248
00:28:19,644 --> 00:28:22,585
and may have three or more mates
in their harem.

249
00:28:26,585 --> 00:28:28,948
This male approaches one of his conquests.

250
00:28:36,436 --> 00:28:39,539
He bobs his head up and down
to signal his intentions.

251
00:28:53,404 --> 00:28:56,633
This female isn't ready or willing to mate.

252
00:28:58,667 --> 00:29:01,846
Turning her back and raising her tail
lets the male know

253
00:29:02,006 --> 00:29:03,643
he's been rejected.

254
00:29:16,084 --> 00:29:18,076
The Galapagos Islands sit on the equator

255
00:29:18,236 --> 00:29:22,331
except the climate here
isn't typically tropical.

256
00:29:26,194 --> 00:29:28,355
The reason lies
within the surrounding seas.

257
00:29:33,156 --> 00:29:36,215
Three major ocean currents
collide at the very point

258
00:29:36,375 --> 00:29:38,416
where the Galapagos Islands lie.

259
00:29:42,236 --> 00:29:44,806
The warm Panama Current from the north

260
00:29:44,966 --> 00:29:47,786
supports the island's
more tropical marine life.

261
00:29:53,786 --> 00:29:56,396
The icy Humboldt Current from the south

262
00:29:56,556 --> 00:29:59,695
brings nutrient rich waters from Antarctica.

263
00:30:00,996 --> 00:30:03,836
And from the west,
the deep water Cromwell Current

264
00:30:03,996 --> 00:30:07,560
rises to the surface
upon hitting the Galapagos shelf.

265
00:30:13,466 --> 00:30:15,516
Elsewhere, the temperature at sea level

266
00:30:15,676 --> 00:30:18,536
is usually warmer than at higher altitudes.

267
00:30:19,426 --> 00:30:21,585
But here, the opposite is true.

268
00:30:25,806 --> 00:30:29,520
The cold waters from the south and west
cool the air above them.

269
00:30:35,506 --> 00:30:37,676
Colder waters are rich in green algae,

270
00:30:37,836 --> 00:30:41,136
which supports
a diverse and vibrant food chain.

271
00:30:42,196 --> 00:30:46,596
Over 500 species of fish
rely on these plankton rich seas.

272
00:30:52,274 --> 00:30:56,320
Large schools of hammerhead sharks
patrol the islands' waters all year round.

273
00:30:58,846 --> 00:31:03,920
This unusual looking predator
can reach over 4 meters in length.

274
00:31:04,066 --> 00:31:05,976
Its eyes are a meter apart.

275
00:31:12,279 --> 00:31:15,440
Darwin found the Galapagos
to be home to many unusual creatures.

276
00:31:16,347 --> 00:31:18,766
But none more unexpected than this.

277
00:31:28,186 --> 00:31:31,546
Galapagos penguins
descended from ancestors in the Antarctic,

278
00:31:31,706 --> 00:31:34,216
10,000 km further south.

279
00:31:37,226 --> 00:31:40,256
They are the only kind
living in the northern hemisphere.

280
00:31:45,626 --> 00:31:48,286
It's thought they arrived
during the last Ice Age

281
00:31:48,446 --> 00:31:51,346
after being swept north
by the Humboldt Current.

282
00:31:55,006 --> 00:31:58,520
They later became stranded here
after the earth warmed.

283
00:32:07,366 --> 00:32:10,009
The islands furthest west
still suffer the effects

284
00:32:10,169 --> 00:32:12,106
of the Pacific Ocean hot spot.

285
00:32:16,826 --> 00:32:19,806
But drifting further east
is a volcanic island

286
00:32:19,966 --> 00:32:22,366
that last erupted over a million years ago.

287
00:32:26,656 --> 00:32:30,246
Santa Cruz is situated
in the middle of the Galapagos chain.

288
00:32:31,256 --> 00:32:33,506
It's thought to be
around 2 million years old.

289
00:32:38,628 --> 00:32:40,226
Here the terrain is mixed.

290
00:32:43,646 --> 00:32:45,566
Ranging from arid low land

291
00:32:48,246 --> 00:32:50,286
to humid high altitudes.

292
00:32:53,550 --> 00:32:56,888
Ancient volcanoes
have been swallowed by forest,

293
00:32:57,048 --> 00:33:00,451
and the islands' peaks are high enough
to form rain clouds.

294
00:33:12,325 --> 00:33:15,061
Cactus forests line the lower plains.

295
00:33:18,439 --> 00:33:20,967
These succulent green plants store water

296
00:33:21,127 --> 00:33:22,965
in their stems and leaves.

297
00:33:23,895 --> 00:33:27,331
They thrive in hostile climates
during times of drought.

298
00:33:30,906 --> 00:33:35,160
Most cactus species have spines
to guard against grazing animals.

299
00:33:36,006 --> 00:33:39,016
But this isn't enough
to deter one Galapagos resident.

300
00:33:49,326 --> 00:33:53,166
Cactus finches not only feed
on the plant's flowers.

301
00:33:53,326 --> 00:33:56,129
They also nest among its leaf-like pads.

302
00:34:05,972 --> 00:34:07,976
This particular bird may look ordinary,

303
00:34:09,520 --> 00:34:14,000
but it became one of the most important species
in the entire archipelago

304
00:34:14,146 --> 00:34:18,894
after Darwin put all Galapagos finches
on the map forever.

305
00:34:29,662 --> 00:34:31,819
The Galapagos Islands
are home to another bird,

306
00:34:31,979 --> 00:34:35,590
who's awkwardness on land
but precision out at sea

307
00:34:35,750 --> 00:34:38,932
also helped influence
Darwin's theory of evolution.

308
00:34:45,237 --> 00:34:47,655
Blue footed boobies use a unique method

309
00:34:47,815 --> 00:34:49,893
to capture their prey.

310
00:34:55,889 --> 00:34:59,728
They plunge dive in unison
from heights of around 30 meters.

311
00:35:06,693 --> 00:35:09,760
They hit the water at just under 100 km/h,

312
00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:12,250
reaching depths of 25 meters.

313
00:35:15,675 --> 00:35:19,232
Meals are usually consumed
while still under water.

314
00:35:33,137 --> 00:35:37,337
On North Seymour Island
just off Santa Cruz,

315
00:35:37,497 --> 00:35:39,008
it's breeding season.

316
00:35:46,842 --> 00:35:50,640
Over 20,000 pairs of blue footed boobies
live on the Galapagos Islands

317
00:35:50,801 --> 00:35:53,464
around three-quarters
of the world's population.

318
00:36:02,591 --> 00:36:04,644
This male attempts to woo a mate.

319
00:36:10,780 --> 00:36:13,652
Blue footed boobies
take great pride in their feet.

320
00:36:17,851 --> 00:36:21,696
This male shows them off
with a high stepping strut.

321
00:36:33,341 --> 00:36:35,771
Females prefer partners with bluer feet.

322
00:36:40,368 --> 00:36:42,332
And this girl seems impressed.

323
00:36:46,879 --> 00:36:51,800
He hunches and crosses his wings
before sky pointing his bill.

324
00:36:55,701 --> 00:36:58,352
The female mimics the male's behavior

325
00:36:58,512 --> 00:37:00,632
indicating her acceptance.

326
00:37:09,402 --> 00:37:11,152
Another ritual can now begin.

327
00:37:14,202 --> 00:37:16,692
The male picks up a twig
and gently places it

328
00:37:16,852 --> 00:37:18,682
at the female's feet.

329
00:37:22,432 --> 00:37:26,512
This symbolic act of nest building
seals their relationship.

330
00:37:29,282 --> 00:37:32,832
However, this couple
has some unwanted company.

331
00:37:37,632 --> 00:37:39,232
Another male approaches.

332
00:37:47,732 --> 00:37:51,360
Fencing with their long beaks
is how booby conflicts are resolved.

333
00:38:06,252 --> 00:38:08,332
Eventually the intruder gives up.

334
00:38:10,242 --> 00:38:13,192
The bachelor leaves
to try his luck elsewhere.

335
00:38:22,522 --> 00:38:27,320
Brightly colored body parts play a vital role
in the courtship of another island resident.

336
00:38:32,692 --> 00:38:35,842
Frigate birds
are the real masters of the skies.

337
00:38:40,572 --> 00:38:43,592
Strong breast muscles
work together with their wings,

338
00:38:43,752 --> 00:38:47,502
enabling them to fly fast and soar high.

339
00:38:50,192 --> 00:38:52,242
Forked tails help them steer.

340
00:38:56,802 --> 00:39:00,880
They have the largest wing span
to body weight ratio of any bird.

341
00:39:06,922 --> 00:39:09,286
Males tip the scales at just over a kilo,

342
00:39:09,446 --> 00:39:13,090
but their wings can stretch
to nearly 2-1/2 meters.

343
00:39:21,622 --> 00:39:24,612
Frigate birds can stay aloft
for more than a week,

344
00:39:24,772 --> 00:39:26,892
landing only to roost or breed.

345
00:39:36,102 --> 00:39:38,672
This female is preparing to land,

346
00:39:38,832 --> 00:39:40,642
but she's facing a tough choice.

347
00:39:43,202 --> 00:39:46,272
The males below
have chosen potential nest sites.

348
00:39:50,502 --> 00:39:52,262
They advertise their positions

349
00:39:52,422 --> 00:39:55,530
in a most colorful, eye catching way.

350
00:40:01,036 --> 00:40:04,631
With wings outstretched,
they inflate their enormous throat pouches

351
00:40:04,791 --> 00:40:06,724
and call to the passing females.

352
00:40:11,938 --> 00:40:15,129
The biggest and brightest air sacs
have the most appeal.

353
00:40:40,962 --> 00:40:42,800
The female makes her choice.

354
00:40:46,999 --> 00:40:49,727
And the male shields her
from the nearby competition.

355
00:41:01,547 --> 00:41:05,880
After pairing, the male saws material
to construct their nest.

356
00:41:12,732 --> 00:41:14,489
Frigate birds have such short legs,

357
00:41:14,649 --> 00:41:18,287
they're unable to walk on land
or swim in water.

358
00:41:19,505 --> 00:41:25,080
They can not take off from flat surfaces
so collecting twigs requires enormous skill.

359
00:41:30,853 --> 00:41:33,548
Most of their food is obtained on the wing.

360
00:41:36,807 --> 00:41:41,040
Robbing other sea birds in flight
can account for nearly half their diet.

361
00:41:44,961 --> 00:41:47,983
Internal pilfering also plays a part
during nest building.

362
00:42:19,165 --> 00:42:21,449
Parental care in frigate birds lasts longer

363
00:42:21,609 --> 00:42:24,039
than that of any other bird species.

364
00:42:26,361 --> 00:42:28,569
Both parents take turns
to feed their young

365
00:42:28,729 --> 00:42:30,794
for the first three months.

366
00:42:30,954 --> 00:42:33,534
After this,
the mother takes sole responsibility

367
00:42:33,694 --> 00:42:35,584
for up to a year and a half.

368
00:42:38,884 --> 00:42:42,440
Many creatures have evolved
in order to survive on the Galapagos.

369
00:42:44,643 --> 00:42:47,054
However on South Plaza Island,

370
00:42:47,214 --> 00:42:49,864
a plant has also been forced to change.

371
00:42:52,338 --> 00:42:57,760
Unlike many cactus species, these plants
have grown extra long trunks.

372
00:42:59,974 --> 00:43:02,404
Their fleshy pads and flowers
are the favorite meal

373
00:43:02,564 --> 00:43:06,440
of a creature that roams this tiny island
in large numbers.

374
00:43:07,404 --> 00:43:10,904
The beast, that Darwin referred to,
is hideous.

375
00:43:18,574 --> 00:43:22,271
Land iguanas are large stocky lizards.

376
00:43:23,943 --> 00:43:27,680
They can be over a meter long
and weigh up to 13 kilos.

377
00:43:32,710 --> 00:43:35,935
They feed mainly
on low growing plants and shrubs,

378
00:43:36,095 --> 00:43:38,254
which also provides them with moisture

379
00:43:38,414 --> 00:43:41,034
during the islands' long dry periods.

380
00:43:43,114 --> 00:43:46,014
Younger prickly pear cacti have sharp spines

381
00:43:46,174 --> 00:43:48,464
that grow on their fleshy trunks, pads,

382
00:43:48,624 --> 00:43:51,274
and flavorful fruits.

383
00:43:51,434 --> 00:43:53,884
The spines do little to deter the iguanas.

384
00:44:14,701 --> 00:44:18,144
Rolling the fruit in soil
removes most of the spines.

385
00:44:24,302 --> 00:44:26,141
Now it's ready to eat.

386
00:44:31,147 --> 00:44:33,520
In time, the cacti grow taller,

387
00:44:33,680 --> 00:44:37,880
and the spines on the trunk
are replaced by a thick, scaly bark.

388
00:44:41,104 --> 00:44:44,789
These older plants
become too tall for the iguanas to reach.

389
00:44:48,422 --> 00:44:51,239
However, the lizards still value
these tall structures.

390
00:44:54,831 --> 00:44:56,837
Each iguana claims a tree.

391
00:44:58,942 --> 00:45:02,136
They sit patiently in the plant's shade
for up to a month,

392
00:45:02,296 --> 00:45:04,834
waiting for the right fruit to drop.

393
00:45:16,281 --> 00:45:21,520
Feeding territories overlap
due to the large number of iguanas living here.

394
00:45:24,976 --> 00:45:28,165
Claiming fallen fruit
isn't that straight forward.

395
00:45:37,738 --> 00:45:40,877
This iguana bobs its head
towards the intruder.

396
00:45:41,037 --> 00:45:42,708
It's a sign of aggression

397
00:45:42,868 --> 00:45:44,800
meaning stay away.

398
00:45:56,082 --> 00:45:59,714
Undeterred, the trespasser
steals his neighbor's bounty.

399
00:46:05,327 --> 00:46:08,811
The central Galapagos Islands
are incredibly fertile,

400
00:46:08,971 --> 00:46:11,623
playing home to a rich array of wildlife.

401
00:46:15,991 --> 00:46:21,120
But far to the east lies an island
that's a shadow of its fruitful past.

402
00:46:32,544 --> 00:46:36,187
Espanola is the oldest
of all the Galapagos Islands.

403
00:46:41,870 --> 00:46:46,560
It's traveled approximately nine meters east
since Darwin's visit,

404
00:46:46,725 --> 00:46:49,761
and over 160 km since its creation

405
00:46:49,921 --> 00:46:52,491
around 4 million years ago.

406
00:46:57,496 --> 00:47:00,771
This arid and relatively flat island is dying.

407
00:47:05,621 --> 00:47:07,831
The further it drifts
from the region's volcanic hot spot,

408
00:47:07,991 --> 00:47:12,240
the more it cools, contracts and sinks.

409
00:47:16,261 --> 00:47:20,560
Espanola's remote location
may be hostile to many creatures,

410
00:47:20,716 --> 00:47:24,390
but the island's steep cliffs
serve as perfect runways

411
00:47:24,550 --> 00:47:27,494
for one of the largest flying birds
in the world.

412
00:47:34,407 --> 00:47:38,365
The waved albatross
stands over a meter tall

413
00:47:38,525 --> 00:47:41,470
and has a wing span
approaching 2-1/2 meters.

414
00:47:44,436 --> 00:47:47,177
Espanola is this bird's only nesting place.

415
00:47:48,068 --> 00:47:51,369
The entire world population
relies on this island.

416
00:47:58,010 --> 00:48:03,320
Each April, 12,000 breeding pairs
return to Espanola's shores.

417
00:48:07,470 --> 00:48:09,189
Males are the first to arrive

418
00:48:10,116 --> 00:48:12,120
followed shortly by their partners.

419
00:48:20,805 --> 00:48:22,400
Waved albatross mate for life,

420
00:48:22,560 --> 00:48:25,785
and the male begins
his annual courtship dance.

421
00:48:33,967 --> 00:48:36,070
This performance of strutting, honking,

422
00:48:36,230 --> 00:48:39,576
and beak clicking can last up to five days.

423
00:49:04,251 --> 00:49:07,967
Once reacquainted,
the female lays a single egg.

424
00:49:11,063 --> 00:49:14,211
Both birds
share the responsibility of incubation.

425
00:49:20,480 --> 00:49:23,877
Feeding newly hatched chicks
also requires joint effort.

426
00:49:30,081 --> 00:49:34,920
Both parents can make round trips
of over 3,000 km while out fishing.

427
00:49:39,152 --> 00:49:42,126
The colony remains on Espanola
until December

428
00:49:42,286 --> 00:49:44,092
when the chick is fully grown.

429
00:49:49,922 --> 00:49:52,782
In January, most of the colony
leaves the island

430
00:49:52,942 --> 00:49:55,722
to fish on the nutrient rich
Humboldt Current.

431
00:50:01,002 --> 00:50:03,822
Young albatross won't return
for five or six years.

432
00:50:04,832 --> 00:50:07,642
Only then will they be ready to seek a mate.

433
00:50:17,295 --> 00:50:19,342
Espanola is eroding away.

434
00:50:22,562 --> 00:50:25,982
Waves crash into lava fissures
creating blow holes

435
00:50:26,142 --> 00:50:29,202
that spray water
nearly 30 meters into the air.

436
00:50:36,052 --> 00:50:40,520
The powerful Humboldt Current
will eventually swallow Espanola

437
00:50:40,662 --> 00:50:43,262
and every other Galapagos island
heading this way.

438
00:50:56,095 --> 00:50:58,753
The Galapagos Islands
are a wilderness of wonder.

439
00:51:03,756 --> 00:51:06,198
Uninfluenced by people for so long,

440
00:51:06,358 --> 00:51:10,160
they provided one man
with a unique snapshot of evolution.

441
00:51:16,034 --> 00:51:19,640
Creatures here have adapted
to their ever changing environment

442
00:51:22,078 --> 00:51:25,458
as the land beneath their feet
comes and goes.

443
00:51:31,048 --> 00:51:34,928
Darwin's Eden-like wilderness
continues to be

444
00:51:35,088 --> 00:51:38,427
a vital part of our natural world's history.