NATURAL EVENTS

 JANUARY 

• Beginning of the rainy season.

• Land birds start nesting, generally after the first rain.

• On Española the adult male marine iguanas become brightly colored.

• The green sea turtle arrives to the beaches of Galapagos to lay their eggs.

• Land iguanas begin reproductive cycles on Isabela.

• Both, water and air temperatures rise and stay warm until June.

• Ideal time for snorkeling.

 FEBRUARY 

• On Floreana flamingos start nesting.

• Bahamas pintails start their breeding season.

• Masked boobies on Española are at the end of their nesting season.

• Marine iguanas nest on Santa Cruz.

• The highest water temperature reaches 25°C (77°F). This temperature remains until April.

• Very few penguins are sighted in Bartholomew.

• The nesting season of the Galapagos dove reaches its peak.

 MARCH 

• The rainy season reaches the highest precipitation.

• Sporadic tropical rains, intense sun and hot climate. Air temperature can reach up to 30°C (86°F)

• Marine iguanas nest in Fernandina.

• March 21, the beginning of the summer equinox signals the arrival of the waved albatross to Española.

 APRIL 

• Massive arrival of waved albatross to Española. Their courtship starts.

• End of hatching season of the giant tortoises.

• The eggs of the green sea turtles begin to hatch.

• Land iguanas hatch on Isabela.

 MAY 

• North Seymour's blue footed boobies begin their courtship.

• Sea turtles are still hatching on Gardner Bay, Punta Cormorant and Puerto Egas.

• Most of the marine iguanas eggs hatch from nests on Santa Cruz.

• Palo santo trees begin to shed their foliage.

• Albatross on Española start laying their eggs.

• Band- rumped storm petrels begin their first nesting period.

 JUNE 

• Begining of the garúa season.

• Giant tortoises on Sta. Cruz migrate from the highlands to the lowlands in search of suitable nesting places.

• Beginning of the nesting season of giant tortoises

 JULY 

• Sea bird communities are very active, especially the blue footed boobies on Española. Flightless cormorants court and nest on Fernandina.

• It is possible to find oyster catchers nesting on Puerto Egas.

• Lava lizards initiate mating rituals until November.

• Whales are more likely to be observed, especially off the Western coast of Isabela

 AUGUST 

• The Galapagos hawks court on Española and Santiago.

• Mask boobies and swallow-tailed gulls nest on Genovesa.

• The temperature of the ocean descends to 18° C (64°F), which obviously varies according to the geographic zones among the islands.

• Migrant shore birds start to arrive, and stay on the islands until March.

• Giant tortoises return to the highlands of Santa Cruz.

 SEPTEMBER 

• The peak of the cold (garúa) season.

• The air temperature reaches its lowest (19° C) (66°F).

• Penguins demonstrate remarkable activity on Bartolomé until December.

• Sea lions are very active, especially in the western and central areas of the Archipelago.

• Most species of marine birds remain active at their nesting sites

 OCTOBER 

• Lava herons nest until March.

• The Galapagos fur seals begin their mating period.

• Boobies raise their chicks on Española.

• Giant tortoises still lay their eggs.

 NOVEMBER 

• Sea lion pups are born.

• Sea lions are sexually active on the Eastern part of the Archipelago.

• Breeding season of brown noddies

• Band-rumped storm petrels begin their second nesting period.

 DECEMBER 

• Hatching of the giant tortoise's eggs begins and lasts until April.

• Green sea turtles display their mating behavior.

• The rainy season begins, all of the plants of the dry zone produce leaves. Galapagos "turns green".

• The first young albatross fledge.

NOTE: Due to changes in the strength and the limits of the ocean currents that can affect the weather in Galapagos, some of the events described above may differ or fail.

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