Spectacular Wildlife in the Galapagos Islands

an island world in the vast pacific born  from fire shaped by nature's mightiest forces a land of astonishing beauty and astounding creatures creatures which are sometimes  blessed by the island's abundance and at other times must fight for resources   only those who can adapt can make it here the marine iguana a fierce looking  resident of the galapagos islands when its ancestors arrived here they were  met with an equally frightening sight the first glimpse of the  islands is anything but inviting many of the galapagos dwellers  didn't come here by choice most are castaways tossed here by storms and strong colors saved by this rocky tip of an underwater  volcano in the middle of the pacific the galapagos islands lie around 600 miles off  the south american coast almost on the equator   it's an archipelago made up of 13 main  islands and hundreds of small rocks and aisles it lies at the point where two mighty ocean  currents converge the humboldt current comes   up from the antarctic its ice cold stream  dominates the islands for half the year during the other six months the panama current  moves in from central america tropical and warm this current brought the ancestors of the marine  iguana to the galapagos islands from the mainland   millions of years ago despite the odds the mini  dragons became an unlikely model for success the prehistoric looking creatures live only here   on fernandina island they  form the biggest colonies but their road to becoming  super lizards has been rocky their ancestors first had to learn where  to find food these barren volcanic islands   had no plans the lizards had  to think outside the rocks only underwater could they find something to eat algae the marine iguana learned how to  hold its breath for up to 30 minutes   and dive for it no other lizard can do this but now the panama current is stirring up trouble   the iguanas eat only green  algae and they've overgrazed the warm current blocks the denser cold water   from bringing crucial minerals and  nutrients up from the ocean depths it turns the garden into an underwater desert  the iguanas aren't the only ones in this panama   predicament almost all the inhabitants suffer  through this lean season those who can migrate those who stay have learned to cope they don't depend on algae  but other microorganisms   for the next months a rainbow of tropical  fish adds local color to the reef the panama current's reach  doesn't stop at the shoreline implants a wet kiss on the face of the islands the barren rocks begin to bloom   to the delight of the galapagos carpenter bees even the black lava clad slopes turn green and in the highlands the forests soak  up the moisture as if to never let it go the galapagos giant tortoise knows that once the  humboldt current comes this abundance will end until that day there's only  one thing to do eat like crazy while the animals on the island enjoy this  bounty the sea dwellers fight for their lives the marine iguana scrambling over the rocks  to find his meager meal must battle against   the rising current he uses all his strength just  to stay in place as the water surges around him he must eat but he's almost spending more energy  fighting the tide than he gets from his food   the search for algae is  crucial but so is staying alive his strength is failing and he needs to come up for air not as easy as it sounds fighting the surf takes every last ounce of effort he's one of the lucky ones in life's relentless contest many marine  iguanas lose to the panama current this survivor needs to rest but the hot humid current  has another torment in store flies they zero in on the iguana's moist scales   hmm they're relentless but the marine iguanas have an ally the galapagos lava lizard another  castaway that made good here flies are its favorite dish and worth the work um uh the panama current turns the island's fly season  into a tropical paradise for the lava lizards but paradise doesn't last the panama current has started to weaken making  room for the colder humboldt current to build   and along with it comes a tropical tourist the green turtle an algae eater as well she has traveled over 600 miles to dine here but it's a bit too early the  only algae here is on her shell it's no more than fuzz but it makes the turtle  very popular with the razor surgeon fish the turtles benefit too too much algae causes drag once the surgeon fish have mowed the lawn another specialist steps in king angelfish come  to gobble up parasites and small crustaceans   they cannot hide anymore  among the stripped down algae the turtle stop at the beauty salon makes  a gracious welcome to the galapagos islands   it would be even better if  the water weren't so cold despite the panama current's warm water competing  currents and winds keep the ocean around the   galapagos cooler than anywhere else on the equator  the tropical turtle faces a dilemma turtles love   warm water but their food grows where it's cold  until dinners served the turtle wants to warm up she ends her long annual journey at a curious  place near the shore of fernandina island the mangrove is one of the few  plants to thrive in salt water   its roots draw nutrients from the water  and filter up to 90 percent of the salt but that's not what appeals to the chile  turtle taking a break from the high seas the shallow pools between the mangroves  are warmer than the open ocean and sea turtles find that hard to resist once they get there they aren't  picky in the hypothermic state   many just sink to the bottom and rest those who still have energy look  for a grotto under the roots or just lean against them  the main thing is to get warm they camp out waiting for the galapagos algae  to grow so they can get first crack at it   the mangrove forest provides sanctuary  from the sharp and hostile volcanic rocks and where it reaches the  ocean a sharp-eyed predator   is on the hunt the galapagos lava heron the  shorebird usually sticks to the mangroves   though sometimes he likes to  step out for a little variety water doesn't seem to be his element he  avoids getting wet and looks for other prey the crabs look good today the red adults have nothing to fear but it's  a different story for the tender young ones   against the rocks they're hard to  spot as long as they don't move game on do they're delicious shells and all over the steep cliffs of espanola island  a seasonal visitor casts a long shadow the waved albatross the island's largest bird with a wingspan of more than eight feet once a year these graceful gliders converge  off the coast of the secluded island   about the size of rochester new york the oldest of the galapagos islands will become  the meeting place for 20 000 in the coming weeks   like his brethren this male  has come to raise his young he spent six months gliding  without touching solid ground his leg muscles aren't what they used  to be so landing's the tricky part walking takes some getting used to normally the males come to  espanola well before the females he's late most of the couples  have already found one another albatross is mate for life up to 30  years and he knows his partner is waiting but where is she the latecomers not getting much sympathy but he persists he combs the entire colony has something happened to her a big change is coming to the galapagos islands as the humboldt current gathers more strength  its chilly fingers reach into the mangrove forest and tap the sea turtle into action she spent  the last few weeks munching mangrove roots now the ocean calls the first of the delicate algae  starts to grow among the coral it thrives here like almost nowhere  else in the tropical pacific thanks to the cool humboldt current the luscious cold buffet motivates the turtle   to make an exhausting journey it's  worth braving the shivering temperatures the springtime arrival of the humboldt  current also arouses another kind of appetite this young blue-footed boobie has come to  espanola looking for a mate it's his first time he's got just what it takes to impress the ladies blue feet the bluer they are the fitter he is   but he's come to the wrong place  only bachelors here no females with one exception she's right in front of him eyeing him with her large pupils her mates also got his eye  on him and for good reason unlike albatrosses boobies aren't loyal the bachelor starts his seduction   it's working she can't stop looking at his  sexy blue feet her partner's only seeing red they argue and the bachelor makes his bold move but gets rebuffed well maybe next time the male albatross is still looking for his mate at last he finds her wow so late in the season will they  have enough time to raise a chick some of their fellow albatrosses  already have hatchlings from egg to chick takes about two months they'll take turns caring  for the chick and hunting unlike other seabirds albatrosses fish far  out on the ocean and are often away for weeks as time passes the partner  left behind gets restless   and concerned they sit on their egg  without anyone to take over the shift   as days turn to weeks they tire of wondering if  their spouse will ever return some lose all hope and that is precisely what  this fellow's been waiting for galapagos mockingbirds have  learned that the humboldt current   brings the albatrosses and  albatrosses bring fresh eggs   the situation is serious for the straggling pair   not only are they behind schedule but the  galapagos mockingbirds are getting more bold while the albatrosses try to  defend their spot on the island   off the coast the humboldt current  brings in another wave of visitors the scalloped hammerhead the largest congregation of  these sharks in the world   they've come to mate by the hundreds  females gather in the middle of the group   while the males stay on the edges no one knows why they segregate like this but after they mate and before they  disperse there's one more thing to   do they head to nearby reefs to clean up the  females have small wounds around their gills   love bites made by the males getting  a grip during their encounter the wounds need cleansing once again the tropical fish take the job the sharks tilt their bodies to show they're ready but there are simply too many sharks to handle the barber fish don't know where to start to attract attention a hammerhead needs a  gimmick perhaps a shark shimmy will do the trick so despite the fancy fin work only  a few lucky sharks get selected the barber fish run a very exclusive spa and the hammerheads need to wait their turn the young booby also needs to be  patient still no females in sight he's been scanning the sky for  days and practicing his best moves at last here's his chance he better not blow it first the wings and don't forget the feet she's underwhelmed maybe a gift will warm her heart she's holding out for she is accepted the young  booby almost can't believe it mission accomplished he'll become a father the late starting albatross pair has made it too after weeks of waiting he urgently needs to fish no time for romantic goodbyes she hides the precious egg under her plumage   and will keep a careful watch on it  because the mockingbirds certainly are that was close as she waits for her partner out  in the ocean a drastic sea change   the humboldt current is back in full force the water is murkier now food is instantly  everywhere courtesy of the cold water bringing with it schools of fish all of a sudden the ocean off  the galapagos shimmers with life   the chilly nutrient-rich  water feeds the multitudes the marine iguana is back in business   no more death-defying dives into  the surf just to get a bite of lunch but just because their bellies are full  doesn't mean their troubles are over for the males feeding leads to fighting like sumo wrestlers they test  their strength in the ring the winner gains a little  turf and the right to mate at the end of round one it's a tie  they take a break between rounds marine iguanas can't breathe while fighting the action heats up as another  contender enters the ring this is his big break but he needs to separate the  wranglers in order to join the fight the bantamweight brawler doesn't have what  it takes the others are just too strong he throws in the towel prosperity has presented new challenges for the   blue footed boobies too their  population has nearly doubled the young are thriving some have only just hatched  while others test their wings for the first flight at last their parents arrive with their lunch these hungry chicks can hardly wait but here comes trouble magnificent frigate birds pirates of the air awkward on land and sea these aggressive  agile flyers rarely fish for themselves so frigate birds prefer to steal and there's nothing the  blue-footed boobies can do about it except catch more fish in  the generous humboldt current the albatrosses also suffer with all the food thieves on the island it's  a wonder the chicks get anything to eat at all in a few weeks they'll be able to  fly but only if they eat heartily now on espanola the albatross parents have  pesky mockingbirds to contend with so shhh these avian annoyers are like ants at a  picnic only hungrier and more aggressive they rely almost completely on  the albatrosses for their food   but in a few weeks the mockingbirds  will have to fend for themselves   the albatrosses will take to the air and  spend the next six months out to the ocean with one exception the chronically late male  albatross is finally back   he was out hunting for days  and hasn't seen his partner leaving her to protect their egg  from the onslaught of mockingbirds all their efforts have paid off   they're among the lucky ones the inhabitants  that have learned to survive here on the galapagos islands life ebbs and flows  in the crossroads of relentless ocean currents everything here is subject to their win energized by their power tuned to their vibrations this land of castaways  and seasonal visitors favors the resourceful   it rewards the ones who can thrive by surrendering  to and sometimes challenging the moody tide   that's life on the galapagos an enchanted  world under the spell of the ocean currents you

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Keywords: Free High-Quality Documentaries, Full HD, Quality, lava heron, waved albatros, blue-footed booby, galapgos mockingbird, magnificent fregatebird, Reptiles, marine iguana, giant tortoise, lava lizard, green sea turtle, Fish, razor surgeonfish, king angelfish, barberfish, scalloped hammerhead, Crabs, sally Lightwood crab, Insects, carpenter bee, Pacific, Ocean, South America, volcanic, islands, Archipelago, variety, animals, iguanas, tortoise, albatross, Humboldt Current, Panama Current, algae

Id: Z3wNjM1Dnsc

Length: 50min 1sec (3001 seconds)

Published: Fri Feb 25 2022