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 Hood (or Espanola) is the seventh
biggest and the Southernmost island of the Galapagos, with a land area of 23 square miles
about two-thirds the size of Manhattan. It is relatively low-lying
only 675 feet above sea level at maximum elevation.
The island is named after an English admiral, Viscount Samuel Hood.
The Ecuadorians call it Espanola, after the country of Spain.
Many visitors to the Galapagos rate Hood as their favorite island.
Because of its
isolation, it has a high proportion of endemic fauna.
Here, the extroverted
mockingbirds sit on top of visitor’s hats, peck at their feet and
investigate their belongings. A
visit to the island normally begins in the morning with a visit to Gardner
Beach, and in the afternoon the boat sails west around the island
for a walk around Punta Suarez.
The Hood mockingbird and waved albatross are found here and nowhere
else in the world. Recently, the Galapagos National Park Service has
successfully reintroduced the islands' unique race of giant
tortoises. They had been reduced to a mere thirteen individuals, all
of which were removed and then bred in captivity (at Charles Darwin
Research Station on Santa Cruz) until sufficient hatchlings had
grown big enough to survive on their own in the wild. The
reintroduced tortoises have begun to breed, reestablishing the
population a Galapagos success story.
Punta Suarez
is one of the most popular and attractive visits of the Galapagos.
The quantity and variety of wildlife at this site is remarkable.
When landing, young sea lions surf the breaking waves, while a few
steps inland groups of the Espanola variety of iguanas bask in the
sun. Further inland, Masked and Blue-foot Boobies nest almost right
on the trail, Galapagos Doves peck around unaware of visitors and
finches go about their business in the bushes. The trail continues
toward the cliffs and the blowhole, a fissure in the lava where
water spurts high in the air like a geyser.
The cracks in the
rock are home to the attractive Swallow-tailed Gulls and Red-billed
Tropicbirds. Further up the cliff, in an area of low-lying tress, is
the only place where the Waved Albatross nests, and in fact, the 10
to 12,000 pairs of albatrosses on Hood are all the individuals of
this species that exist on the planet. They perform one of the most
spectacular rituals of the animal world. Watching these large birds
(up to 1 meter high / 3.3 feet) take off is another unforgettable
moment. The albatrosses clumsily wobble to the edge of the cliff and
launch themselves against the wind to be transformed into gracious
flying creatures.
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General information |
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Area : |
23 square miles (60 square kilometers) |
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Maximum altitude : |
676 feet (206 meters) |
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Population : |
0 |
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Geographic features : |
Oldest island (3.4 million years old). Because
it is arid and has no fresh water source, it is
basically inhabitable by humans, though a haven
for sea birds. |
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Getting there : |
Private tour |
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Getting around : |
There is one path to follow, though you need to
be with a guide. |
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Major sites : |
Punta Suarez, Gardner bay |
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Observations : |
Wet landing,
snorkeling & swimming |
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Flora : |
Acacia
Palo Verde
Salt brush
Scrub vegetation
Mesquite bushes |
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Fauna : |
Saddle
back turtles - At one time, they were reduced to
12 females and 2 males. Thanks to the Charles
Darwin Research Foundation, they are being breed
and re-introduced in the island. By 1995, 700
turtles were re-introduced, and it looks
promising!
Marine
Iguanas
Lava lizards
Sally light-foot crab
Waved Albatross
Red billed tropic bird
Hood
Mockingbirds
Blue footed boobies
Masked boobies
Galapagos dove
Large cactus finch
and a kaleidoscope of sea life. |
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Activities : |
Walks
Beach
Snorkeling ( in deep water - experience is
required)
Scuba diving
Bird watching
Tours |
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