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EXPLORE THE ISLANDS

Join Paul as he explores the hidden treasures of the Galápagos

Most people connect the Galápagos Islands with Charles Darwin, but he arrived centuries after their first recorded discovery. In 1535, Spanish bishop Tomás de Berlanga was sailing from Panama to Peru when the wind disappeared and his ship drifted west with the current. After days at sea, his crew encountered volcanic islands filled with giant tortoises, cactus forests and lava fields. They struggled to survive before escaping back to mainland South America, yet de Berlanga’s report became the first written account of the Galápagos—and was largely ignored. ________________________________________________________________________________ Planning a trip to the Galápagos Islands? 🏝️ Paul McFarling is a Galápagos guide and tour organiser with over 30 years of experience helping travellers explore the islands, wildlife, landscapes, and natural history of this extraordinary destination. Since 1992, he has worked with leading cruise and tour operators across the Galápagos and now organises personalised adventures for private travellers, families, student groups, alumni groups, and educational expeditions. Whether you are planning your first visit or looking for expert guidance on creating the right itinerary, Paul can help you make the most of your time in the Galápagos. 📍 Plan your Galápagos adventure: www.galapex.com ✉️ Contact Paul: info@galapex.com Subscribe for more Galápagos wildlife, island insights, travel advice, and stories from over three decades of guiding.
The Galápagos Islands Were Discovered Completely by Accident!
Most people associate the Galápagos Islands with Charles Darwin, giant tortoises and extraordinary wildlife. But long before Darwin arrived, the islands had already become the setting for accidental discoveries, pirates, castaways, whalers, prisoners and one of the strangest unsolved mysteries in their history. In this video, Galápagos guide Paul McFarling traces the human story of the islands from their accidental discovery in 1535 to their use as a pirate refuge and whaling base. Discover how the Galápagos inspired Robinson Crusoe, why sailors created the unusual Post Office Bay tradition and how thousands of giant tortoises were taken aboard whaling ships. Paul also explores Ecuador’s annexation of the islands, Darwin’s brief visit, the brutal penal colonies and the mysterious events involving the settlers of Floreana. The story continues through the Second World War, the growth of Puerto Ayora and the rise of modern tourism, revealing a side of Galápagos history that is every bit as remarkable as its wildlife. ________________________________________________________________________________ Planning a trip to the Galápagos Islands? 🏝️ Paul McFarling is a Galápagos guide and tour organiser with over 30 years of experience helping travellers explore the islands, wildlife, landscapes, and natural history of this extraordinary destination. Since 1992, he has worked with leading cruise and tour operators across the Galápagos and now organises personalised adventures for private travellers, families, student groups, alumni groups, and educational expeditions. Whether you are planning your first visit or looking for expert guidance on creating the right itinerary, Paul can help you make the most of your time in the Galápagos. 📍 Plan your Galápagos adventure: www.galapex.com ✉️ Contact Paul: info@galapex.com Subscribe for more Galápagos wildlife, island insights, travel advice, and stories from over three decades of guiding. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 00:00 The Untold Human History of the Galápagos 00:38 The Accidental Discovery of the Islands 01:20 Why the Galápagos Were Forgotten 01:40 How the Galápagos Got Their Name 01:58 About Paul McFarling 02:45 Pirates Arrive in the Galápagos 03:07 Sir Francis Drake and the Pacific Raids 03:40 Why Pirates Used the Islands as a Hideout 04:30 William Dampier: Pirate and Naturalist 05:30 How the Islands Received Their English Names 05:52 The Castaway Who Inspired Robinson Crusoe 07:20 The Arrival of the Whaling Industry 07:41 The Story of Post Office Bay 08:07 How Whalers Devastated Giant Tortoises 08:39 Ecuador Claims the Galápagos 08:45 Charles Darwin Arrives 08:59 The Brutal Penal Colonies 09:11 The Wall of Tears 09:35 The Floreana Affair and Its Unsolved Mystery 10:19 The Galápagos During the Second World War 10:34 The Growth of Tourism and Modern Settlement 10:44 The Extraordinary Legacy of the Galápagos
Human History of The Galápagos Islands | Pirates, Castaways and Unsolved Mysteries!
Blue-footed boobies once formed enormous colonies across North Seymour and Española, sometimes several thousand birds strong. After the 1997–98 El Niño, sardines and anchovies became scarce, leaving many adults unable to feed their chicks. With food disappearing, some chicks were abandoned and taken by frigatebirds. Many blue-footed boobies have since moved towards southern Peru, where feeding and breeding conditions are more favourable. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Planning a trip to the Galápagos Islands? 🏝️ Paul McFarling is a Galápagos guide and tour organiser with over 30 years of experience helping travellers explore the islands, wildlife, landscapes, and natural history of this extraordinary destination. Since 1992, he has worked with leading cruise and tour operators across the Galápagos and now organises personalised adventures for private travellers, families, student groups, alumni groups, and educational expeditions. Whether you are planning your first visit or looking for expert guidance on creating the right itinerary, Paul can help you make the most of your time in the Galápagos. 📍 Plan your Galápagos adventure: www.galapex.com ✉️ Contact Paul: info@galapex.com Subscribe for more Galápagos wildlife, island insights, travel advice, and stories from over three decades of guiding.
Thousands of Blue-Footed Boobies Vanished After El Niño
For blue-footed boobies, feet are everything. The darker the blue, the better fed and healthier the bird is likely to be, making it more attractive to a potential mate. Their colour comes partly from carotenoids found in the anchovies and sardines they eat. Dark blue feet can therefore signal that a bird is a successful hunter and may be better able to provide food for its future chicks. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Planning a trip to the Galápagos Islands? 🏝️ Paul McFarling is a Galápagos guide and tour organiser with over 30 years of experience helping travellers explore the islands, wildlife, landscapes, and natural history of this extraordinary destination. Since 1992, he has worked with leading cruise and tour operators across the Galápagos and now organises personalised adventures for private travellers, families, student groups, alumni groups, and educational expeditions. Whether you are planning your first visit or looking for expert guidance on creating the right itinerary, Paul can help you make the most of your time in the Galápagos. 📍 Plan your Galápagos adventure: www.galapex.com ✉️ Contact Paul: info@galapex.com Subscribe for more Galápagos wildlife, island insights, travel advice, and stories from over three decades of guiding.
The Blue-Footed Booby: Why Darker Feet Win More Mates
The blue-footed booby can strike the ocean at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour, plunge around 30–35 feet beneath the surface and then hunt its prey as it rises back towards the surface. Its streamlined body and specially adapted skull help protect it from the force of repeated impacts, but a lifetime of plunge-diving can still take a serious toll on the bird’s eyesight. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Planning a trip to the Galápagos Islands? 🏝️ Paul McFarling is a Galápagos guide and tour organiser with over 30 years of experience helping travellers explore the islands, wildlife, landscapes, and natural history of this extraordinary destination. Since 1992, he has worked with leading cruise and tour operators across the Galápagos and now organises personalised adventures for private travellers, families, student groups, alumni groups, and educational expeditions. Whether you are planning your first visit or looking for expert guidance on creating the right itinerary, Paul can help you make the most of your time in the Galápagos. 📍 Plan your Galápagos adventure: www.galapex.com ✉️ Contact Paul: info@galapex.com Subscribe for more Galápagos wildlife, island insights, travel advice, and stories from over three decades of guiding.
The Blue-Footed Booby Risks Blindness Every Time It Hunts
The blue-footed booby is one of the most recognisable and entertaining animals in the Galápagos Islands. In this video, Galápagos guide Paul McFarling explains how these remarkable seabirds can plunge into the ocean at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour, hunt cooperatively around schools of fish and withstand the enormous impact of repeated dives. Discover why their feet are blue, why darker colouring can make a bird more attractive to a potential mate and how their famous courtship dance helps them choose a partner. Paul also explains how males and females can be distinguished, why they offer sticks and stones during courtship and how competition between chicks forms part of their unusual breeding strategy. The video also explores the decline of the enormous blue-footed booby colonies Paul once saw across the Galápagos. Changes in the availability of sardines and anchovies following the 1997–98 El Niño affected breeding success, forcing many birds to move towards southern Peru in search of better feeding conditions. ______________________________________________________________________ Planning a trip to the Galápagos Islands? 🏝️ Paul McFarling is a Galápagos guide and tour organiser with over 30 years of experience helping travellers explore the islands, wildlife, landscapes, and natural history of this extraordinary destination. Since 1992, he has worked with leading cruise and tour operators across the Galápagos and now organises personalised adventures for private travellers, families, student groups, alumni groups, and educational expeditions. Whether you are planning your first visit or looking for expert guidance on creating the right itinerary, Paul can help you make the most of your time in the Galápagos. 📍 Plan your Galápagos adventure: www.galapex.com ✉️ Contact Paul: info@galapex.com Subscribe for more Galápagos wildlife, island insights, travel advice, and stories from over three decades of guiding. ______________________________________________________________________ 00:00 Meet the Blue-Footed Booby 00:26 Diving at 60 Miles Per Hour 01:11 How Their Bodies Survive the Impact 01:38 How Blue-Footed Boobies Hunt in Groups 02:21 How the Blue-Footed Booby Got Its Name 02:37 About Paul McFarling 03:24 Courtship and Choosing a Partner 03:44 Sky Pointing and Male vs Female Calls 04:11 How to Tell Males and Females Apart 04:32 The Famous Blue-Footed Booby Dance 04:51 Why Blue Feet Matter 05:09 Why Darker Blue Feet Are More Attractive 06:04 How Males Show Off Their Feet 06:27 Courtship Gifts and Nesting Behaviour 07:19 Mating and Egg Laying 07:41 Why the Chicks Hatch Days Apart 08:02 Competition Between the Chicks 08:26 The Harsh Survival Strategy of the Youngest Chick 08:47 The Decline of Galápagos Booby Colonies 09:13 How El Niño Changed Their Food Supply 09:41 Why Many Boobies Moved to Southern Peru 10:01 Seeing a Feeding Frenzy in the Galápagos
The Blue Footed BOOBY- The TRUTH About Its Blue Feet!
On Pinzón Island, scientists discovered that almost every giant tortoise was over 50 years old because introduced rats were eating the hatchlings before they could survive. On Española Island, just 14 tortoises remained in the wild. After another male was found in San Diego Zoo, a captive breeding programme using all 15 animals helped rebuild the population to around 3,000 saddleback tortoises. ______________________________________________________________________ Planning a trip to the Galápagos Islands? 🏝️ Paul McFarling is a Galápagos guide and tour organiser with over 30 years of experience helping travellers explore the islands, wildlife, landscapes, and natural history of this extraordinary destination. Since 1992, he has worked with leading cruise and tour operators across the Galápagos and now organises personalised adventures for private travellers, families, student groups, alumni groups, and educational expeditions. Whether you are planning your first visit or looking for expert guidance on creating the right itinerary, Paul can help you make the most of your time in the Galápagos. 📍 Plan your Galápagos adventure: www.galapex.com ✉️ Contact Paul: info@galapex.com Subscribe for more Galápagos wildlife, island insights, travel advice, and stories from over three decades of guiding.
RATS Devoured Every Baby Tortoise on This Island!
Why do some Galápagos giant tortoises have dome-shaped shells while others have the distinctive saddleback shape? Dome-shaped tortoises live in greener highland environments, where they can feed from the ground, rest beneath vegetation and bathe in pools. Saddleback tortoises evolved in the hotter lowlands, where food was often higher above the ground. Over generations, tortoises able to stretch their necks higher had better access to food and greater breeding success, eventually producing animals that can reach around 5.5 feet high. ______________________________________________________________________ Planning a trip to the Galápagos Islands? 🏝️ Paul McFarling is a Galápagos guide and tour organiser with over 30 years of experience helping travellers explore the islands, wildlife, landscapes, and natural history of this extraordinary destination. Since 1992, he has worked with leading cruise and tour operators across the Galápagos and now organises personalised adventures for private travellers, families, student groups, alumni groups, and educational expeditions. Whether you are planning your first visit or looking for expert guidance on creating the right itinerary, Paul can help you make the most of your time in the Galápagos. 📍 Plan your Galápagos adventure: www.galapex.com ✉️ Contact Paul: info@galapex.com Subscribe for more Galápagos wildlife, island insights, travel advice, and stories from over three decades of guiding.
Why The Galápagos Giant Tortoises Evolved Bizarre Shells
How did giant tortoises reach the remote Galápagos Islands? They are believed to have crossed around 600 miles of ocean from mainland South America, possibly floating on rafts of vegetation. The journey may have taken one or two months without food or fresh water, yet giant tortoises are remarkably well adapted to survive extreme conditions. Some historical records even suggest they could live for up to 20 months without eating or drinking, while their lifespan can reach nearly 200 years. ______________________________________________________________________ Planning a trip to the Galápagos Islands? 🏝️ Paul McFarling is a Galápagos guide and tour organiser with over 30 years of experience helping travellers explore the islands, wildlife, landscapes, and natural history of this extraordinary destination. Since 1992, he has worked with leading cruise and tour operators across the Galápagos and now organises personalised adventures for private travellers, families, student groups, alumni groups, and educational expeditions. Whether you are planning your first visit or looking for expert guidance on creating the right itinerary, Paul can help you make the most of your time in the Galápagos. 📍 Plan your Galápagos adventure: www.galapex.com ✉️ Contact Paul: info@galapex.com Subscribe for more Galápagos wildlife, island insights, travel advice, and stories from over three decades of guiding.
How Did Giant Tortoises Reach the Galápagos Islands?
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