School of Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks

The Galápagos Islands offer volcanic reefs, steep walls, submerged seamounts, and open-water diving within one of the world’s most ecologically important marine regions. Located where several major ocean currents converge, the archipelago combines cold, nutrient-rich upwelling with warmer tropical water, supporting sea lions, marine iguanas, penguins, sea turtles, rays, and exceptionally diverse shark populations. Northern sites around Darwin and Wolf islands are especially associated with schooling scalloped hammerheads and seasonal whale sharks. The surrounding Galápagos Marine Reserve was established in 1998, extending protection beyond the national park’s volcanic islands. Together, the land and marine ecosystems form a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognized as a major center of evolution, endemism, and continuing scientific research.

Fun Fact: Around Darwin and Wolf islands, researchers recorded scalloped hammerhead biomass averaging approximately 21 tons per hectare during the cool season, more than four times the warm-season figure.