2015年4月27日 星期一

陸鬣蜥 Land iguanas

每個人都有自己到加拉巴戈的目的,而我明顯是為是這些對人類完全沒有抗拒的野生動物而來! 這個當年達爾文研究進化論的地方,到今天為止,仍然不斷上演著奇妙的大自然進化。

在South Plaza island這個非常小的島上,長了很多的仙人掌,只要你走近一點,仔細一看,幾乎每棵仙人掌下都有一隻加拉巴戈陸鬣蜥!


陸鬣蜥是地域性很强的獨居動物,所以他們各自會佔據自己的地盤,很少會看到一棵仙人掌住著兩隻陸鬣蜥。

可是,約八至九年前曾出現一次大旱,讓這小島上的仙人掌死了很多,陸鬣蜥出現食物短缺的情況…結果…有部份本來素食的陸鬣蜥居然進化成雜食,找不到仙人掌可作地盤的陸鬣蜥跑到石灘上,靠食海獅的糞便為生,我們當天更看到一隻陸鬣蜥正在吃一隻鳥的屍體…可見進化仍在不斷進行中。



 

By: Jo





Everyone comes to the Galapagos for a reason.  For me, it is obvious that I come here because the wild animals that show absolutely no fear for human beings!  These islands, where Charles Darwin studied the law of evolution, until today, is still the best showcase for evolution.

South Plaza island is a very small island where a lot of cactus grow.  If you look closer, each cactus has a Galapagos land iguana living underneath!

Land iguanas are solitary animals who also defense their territories very strongly.  You seldom see two land igua

nas living at the same cactus.

However, about 8-9 years ago, a lot of cactus on this island died because of the drought and the land iguanas were short of food supply.  As a result... some of these vegetarian land iguanas have evolved and became omnivores.  Those who cannot find themselves a cactus go to the rockeries and feed on the sea lion poos.  Today, we even witness a land iguana eating the dead body of a bird... this is clearly evidence of how these animals are still evolving on the island. 

By: Jo






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