Perhaps no other place has had a greater impact
on the way we understand life. Although made famous by Charles
Darwin, the Galapagos Islands, even today, offer an extraordinary
array of flora and fauna. The following offerings contain a myriad
of facts and trivia about these famed islands and their surrounding
waters.
The Galapagos Islands take their name
from the saddleback tortoises that are found there. These
tortoises are among the world's largest.
These volcanic islands are an archipelago
located in the Pacific Ocean, roughly six hundred miles from western
Ecuador. There are thirteen main islands in the chain and more than
a hundred smaller islands and islets.
The chain's oldest island is thought
to have been formed approximately ten million years ago.
The islands constitute an Ecuadorian
province and are part of that country's national park system. Ecuador
strictly regulates tourism in the area.
More than sixty volcanic eruptions
have been documented over the last two hundred years in the
Galapagos region.
During the nineteenth century, whaling
ships were a common sight in Galapagos waters. Sperm whales
once swam in large pods around the islands.
Today, orcas can be seen hunting
sperm whales in Galapagos waters. Orcas also feed on Galapagos sea
lions, sharks, and rays.
Herman Melville, author of Moby Dick,
was so fascinated with the islands that he wrote a series of essays
about them in his work The Encantadas.
Charles Darwin was twenty-six when
he first saw the Galapagos Islands. His observations about life
on the islands eventually led to his famed theory of evolution.
His On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection was published
in 1859.
Darwin Island, one of the main
islands in the archipelago, is named for the naturalist.
There are thirteen species of Darwin's
finches endemic to the islands. As noted by the great naturalist,
these birds are famous for their beaks.
The islands' marine iguanas
are only found in the Galapagos region. These are the only marine-going
lizards found anywhere in the world.
The notorious scolopendra centipede
lives on the islands and frequently dines on lava lizards and even
young rats. These creatures grow to about thirty centimeters.
The famous Galapagos penguin is the
only type of penguin to live at the equator. An endangered species,
there are less than 1500 examples according to scientific studies.
Poisonous manzanillo apple trees
are native to the islands. Both their fruit and sap are toxic.
The islands and their waters are a
World Heritage Site. Conservation is an ongoing project for
the region.- J. A. Young
Daly Pham,age 10,Grade 4
The dora is wierd but the other song is funny.
GO STINKY CHEESE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lemon Demon - The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny
Old Godzilla was hopping around
Tokyo City like a big playground
when suddenly Batman burst from the shade
and hit Godzilla with a Batgrenade
Godzilla got pissed and began to attack
but didn't expect to be blocked by Shaq
who proceeded to open up a can of Shaq Fu
when Aaron Carter came out of the blue
and he started beating up Shaquille O'Neal
then they both got flattened by the Batmobile
but before it could make it back to the Batcave
Abraham Lincoln popped out of his grave
and took an AK47 out from under his hat
and blew Batman away with a rat-a-tat-tat
but he ran out of bullets and he ran away
because Optimus Prime came to save the day
this is the Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny
good guys, bad guys, and explosions as far as the eye can see
and only one will survive, I wonder who it will be
this is the Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny
Godzilla took a bite out of Optimus Prime
like Scruff McGruff took a bite out of crime
and then Shaq came back covered in a tire track
but Jackie Chan jumped out and landed on his back
and Batman was injured, and trying to get steady
when Abraham Lincoln came back with a machete
but suddenly something caught his leg and he tripped
Indiana Jones took him out with his whip
then he saw Godzilla sneaking up from behind
and he reached for his gun which he just couldn't find
'cause Batman stole it and he shot and he missed
and Jackie Chan deflected it with his fist
then he jumped in the air and did a summersault
while Abraham Lincoln tried to pole vault
onto Optimus Prime, but they collided in the air
then they both got hit by a Care Bear Stare, oooh
this is the Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny
good guys, bad guys, and explosions as far as the eye can see
and only one will survive, I wonder who it will be
this is the Ultimate Showdown...
angels sang out in immaculate chorus
down from the heavens descended Chuck Norris
who deliver a kick which could shatter bones
into the crotch of Indiana Jones
who fell over on the ground, writhing in pain
as Batman changed back into Bruce Wayne
but Chuck saw through his clever disguise
and he crushed Batman's head in between his thighs
then Gandalf the Grey and Gandalf the White and
"Monty Python and the Holy Grail"'s Black Knight and
Benito Mussolini and The Blue Meanie and
Cowboy Curtis and Jambi the Genie
Robocop, the Terminator, Captain Kirk, and Darth Vader
Lo Pan, Superman, every single Power Ranger
Bill S. Preston and Theodore Logan,
Spock, The Rock, Doc Ock, and Hulk Hogan
all came out of no where lightning fast
and they kicked Chuck Norris in his cowboy !@#$$
it was the bloodiest battle the world ever saw
with civilians looking on total awe
and the fight raged on for a century
many lives were claimed, but eventually
the champion stood, the rest saw their better:
Mr. Rogers in a bloodstained sweater
this is the Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny
good guys, bad guys, and explosions as far as the eye can see
and only one will survive, I wonder who it will be
this is the Ultimate Showdown...
this is the Ultimate Showdown...
this is the Ultimate Showdown...
of Ultimate Destiny
boots!
come on dora!
do-do-do-do-dora!
do-do-do-do-dora!
do-do-do-do-dora!
do-do-do-do-dora!
lets go!
dora dora dora the explorer!
DORA!
boots and supercool exploradora!
we need your help!
grab your backpack!
lets go!
jump in!
vamonos!
you can lead the way!
hey! hey!
do-do-dora!
do-d-dora!
swiper no swiping!
swiper no swiping! (oh man)
it;s dora the explorer!