Galápagos Islands

I was born from fire, deep under the big blue sea. Volcanoes pushed me up, up, up until I became a family of islands, all alone in the middle of the giant Pacific Ocean. For a very long time, my only visitors were the wind and the waves. Soon, strange and wonderful animals made me their home. Giant tortoises, with shells as big as bathtubs, walked slowly on my shores like living boulders. Silly birds with bright blue feet arrived and did a funny little dance to say hello. And the most amazing lizards learned to swim in the salty water, munching on seaweed for lunch. I was a secret world, a magical place filled with creatures you couldn't find anywhere else. I am the Galápagos Islands.

One day, a long, long time ago, a big wooden ship with tall white sails came to visit me. It was September 15th, 1835, and the ship was called the HMS Beagle. On that ship was a young man with bright, curious eyes and a notebook always in his hand. His name was Charles Darwin. He stepped onto my rocky land and looked at everything with wonder. He was like a detective for nature. He gently touched the shells of my giant tortoises and watched my swimming lizards. He saw that on one of my islands, the little birds called finches had strong, thick beaks to crack open big, tough seeds. But on another island, the finches had tiny, pointy beaks, perfect for picking out little insects from flowers. “Why are they different.” he whispered to himself, writing it down. He also noticed that some of my tortoises had shells shaped like a saddle, which let them stretch their long necks up to eat tall plants. Others had round, dome-shaped shells because they only ate grass on the ground. He filled his notebook with questions and drawings, trying to solve my puzzle.

A Treasure for the World
All the secrets Charles Darwin learned on my shores gave him a very big idea. He realized that my animals had changed slowly, over many, many years, to become perfect for their special island homes. His idea helped people all over the world understand how life works. Because I am such a special place, I am now a park that is protected for everyone. People come from far away to see my amazing animals, and they know they must be very gentle and quiet. I am like a living classroom, teaching everyone to look closely at the world around them. I want you to always stay curious, just like Charles Darwin. Ask lots of questions, and remember to take good care of our beautiful planet and all its wonderful creatures.