galapagos
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| Iguanas, dominant image of Ecuador's Galapagos islands, are gargoyles on the facade of Quito's imposing Basilica Ref:MKGAC2461 |  |
| The endemic Galapagos land iguana, rarely as threatening as this one, has become the islands' primary symbol Ref:MKGAC2479 |  |
| A nesting Galapagos land iguana, monster lizard endemic to the fantastical islands, appears to be sloughing its scaly skin Ref:MKGAC2480 |  |
| The red-footed booby with its blue beak, its mate at rear, is among the Galapagos islands most visually striking birds Ref:MKGAC2481 |  |
| Visibly interacting, two blue-footed boobies are populous and popular, nesting on flat surfaces often guano-covered Ref:MKGAC2482 |  |
| As sally lightfoot crabs watch, two seals seemingly exchange affectionate greetings in the protected Galapagos islands Ref:GAC2483 |  |
| A Galapagos sea lion (another still underwater) surfaces on to large lava rocks and takes in a big breath Ref:MKGAC2484 |  |
| A relaxed Galapagos sea lion stretched out aft of a boat moored in Puerto Ayora harbour, Santa Cruz island Ref:MKGAC2485 |  |
| An almost fledged Great Frigatebird, still tended by parents in its nest, at the least showy stage of its development Ref:MKGAC2486 |  |
| Juvenile Frigatebirds perched sociably aboard a cruise ship touring the Galapagos islands Ref:MKGAC2487 |  |
| Nazca boobies, or masked boobies, are proud parents of a chick grown into a large Galapagos population Ref:MKGAC2488 |  |
| A Nazca. or masked, booby nurtures the recently hatched chick in its Galapagos ground nest; the second egg will be ignored Ref:MKGAC2489 |  |
| A pair of Nazca or masked, boobies on a plateau of Genovesa island in the Galapagos where flocks of seabirds fill the skies Ref:MKGAC2490 |  |
| These "chatting" penguins, endemic to the Galapagos, are the only penguin species to nest within the tropics Ref:MKGAC2491 |  |
| Widely different species, a marine iguana and two Galapagos penguins ignore each other in their lava world Ref:MKGAC2492 |  |
| Marine iguanas of various sizes and colours enjoy sea and shore life in the protected Galapagos island Ref:MKGAC2493 |  |
| Could it be "hello mum"? The bizarre-looking marine iguana seems to be sheltering a tiny infant behind its right foreleg Ref:MKGAC2494 |  |
| Two giant tortoises at the Charles Darwin Research Centre in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz island in the Galapagos Ref:MKGAC2474 |  |
| A giant Galapagos tortoise [Geochelone elephantopus] eating grass in the evergreen Highland reserve on Santa Cruz island Ref:MKGAC2475 |  |
| An endemic Galapagos hawk, a rare raptor and, observed Darwin in 1845, tortoises' only natural predator Ref:MKGAC2477 |  |
| A single flamingo [Phoenicopterus ruber] shines against its surroundings, a small green-edged brackish lake on Santa Cruz island in the Galapagos Ref:MKGAC2478 |  |
| El Barranco, or Prince Phillip's Steps, ease the climb to a plateau above a rocky landing at Genovesa island in the Galapagos Ref:MKGAC2496 |  |
| Bartolome, off Santiago island, boasts grand views of sea, beach, landscapes, even the striking pinnacle rock Ref:MKGAC2495 |  |