The Grumpy Sunbather — Marine Iguana of the Galapagos

The Grumpy Sunbathers of the Galapagos

They call them dragons, and for once the exaggeration fits. On Fernandina Island, the ground itself seems alive — black lava heaving with hundreds of Galapagos Marine Iguana stacked in lazy piles like prehistoric logs.

They don’t blink much. Nor do they move much. They just… exist. Until, of course, one sneezes — a high-pressure salt jet from the nostril that reminds you why sunglasses were invented. Oh, and I was there on Valentines season… The mood hadn’t passed the Galapagos marine Iguana without affecting them… This was possibly a one-sided affair though… 😉

Darwin found them “hideous.” I found them relatable.
They bask for hours, absorbing heat from the sun, occasionally stepping over each other with bad manners and worse tempers. I saw two females Galapagos Marine Iguana in a territorial spat that could have easily been a reality-TV episode: Keeping Up with the Iguanas.

Their superpower? Evolution itself. These are the only lizards that can swim in the ocean, graze on seaweed, and survive volcanic harshness with the grace of stubborn endurance.

Watching them, I realized evolution isn’t always glamorous. Sometimes it’s about being cranky, crusty, and utterly unbothered by tourists with cameras.

So here’s to the grumpy sunbathers of Fernandina and the Galapagos — the scaly saints of slow living.

This was Part of the Galápagos Creature Chronicles — snippets from the wild classroom that inspired Darwin (and humbled me). Read the full travelogue here… 

Want to head to the Galapagos? Contact Beyonder Travel…