Discover Darwin's living laboratory
Charles Darwin’s observations and collections of the Galápagos wildlife in 1835 contributed to his theory of evolution by natural selection.
For the first time, scientists and researchers are using Street View imagery to study the land, coast and sea of the Galápagos Islands.
The Galápagos are home to hundreds of endemic wildlife species, found nowhere else on earth.
Zalophus wollebaeki
IUCN Red List status: Endangered
Based on IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Learn more
Their loud bark, playful nature and graceful agility in water make them the "welcoming party" of the islands. Galápagos sea lions can be found on each of the different islands of the Galápagos archipelago.
Sula nebouxii
IUCN Red List status: Least Concern
Based on IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Learn more
They are easily recognisable by their distinctive bright blue feet – the blue colour comes from carotenoid pigments obtained from their diet. Males display their feet in an elaborate mating ritual by lifting one and then the other up.
Chelonoidis nigra
IUCN Red List status: Vulnerable
Based on IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Learn more
The largest living species of tortoise, with a lifespan of over 100 years, it is one of the longest-living vertebrates. The tortoise is native to seven of the Galápagos Islands – yet shell size and shape vary between populations.
Conolophus subcristatus
IUCN Red List status: Vulnerable
Based on IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Learn more
Found only on the Galápagos Islands, it has the ability, unique among modern lizards, to live and forage in the sea, making it a marine reptile. The iguana can dive over 9 m (30 ft) into the water.
Fregata magnificens
IUCN Red List status: Least Concern
Based on IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Learn more
The Magnificent Frigatebird on the Galápagos Islands is genetically and morphologically distinct from all other frigatebirds; it has not been exchanging genes with mainland counterparts for several hundred thousand years.
Detailed imagery gives researchers and enthusiasts a first-hand view. What can you spot?
Explore more 360º panoramic images in Views
The Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galápagos Islands (CDF) is an international non-profit scientific organisation. The CDF has been working in Galápagos since 1959 with a clear mission to work closely with government institutions, providing scientific knowledge and assistance to ensure the conservation of Galápagos.
The Directorate of the Galápagos National Park (GNPD) is responsible for the conservation of the ecological integrity and the biodiversity of the insular and marine ecosystems of the protected areas of the archipelago, and the rational use of ecosystem goods and services that these generate for the community.
Google Earth Outreach is a programme from Google designed specifically to help non-profit and public benefit organisations around the world leverage the power of Google Earth and Maps to illustrate and advocate for the important work that they do in areas such as the environment, cultural preservation, humanitarian work and more.
Underwater Earth is the non-profit company behind the Catlin Seaview Survey – a scientific study creating a baseline record of the world’s coral reefs, in high-resolution 360-degree panoramic vision. This project will enable change to be monitored over time and will help us understand the issues that reefs are facing and how to protect coral reefs.
