In 1979, the Galapagos Islands was one of the earliest World Heritage Sites to be selected by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), a designation intended to protect and preserve sites of cultural and natural heritage around the world. Today, there are over a thousand World Heritage Sites and the Galapagos Islands are one of the most widely valued.

The biology of the Galapagos Islands has arguably been studied more than any other archipelago in the world. Charles Darwin visited the Galapagos Islands for five weeks in 1835 and then spent the next several decades at his home in England conducting experiments on a multitude of non-Galapagos species to confirm his theory of natural selection. His observations and collections contributed to the inception of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection, one of the most important ideas in all of science.

The islands are located in the eastern Pacific Ocean, 605 miles (973 km) off the west coast of South America and consist of 13 main islands and 6 smaller islands. Only some are open to visitors.

In this richly illustrated tour of the Galapagos, world renowned photographer and naturalist Wayne Lynch captures the unique wildlife living here, including the Galapagos tortoise, the marine iguana, the flightless cormorant, the blue-footed boobie and the magnificent frigatebird.

Wildlife photographer and science writer Dr. Wayne Lynch has dedicated almost three decades to learning everything he can about these powerful mammals. In his quest for bears, he has crawled inside the winter dens of black bears and polar bears, held squirming grizzly cubs in his arms, sailed along the coastal rainforests of British Columbia, hiked the cloud forests of the Andes Mountains in South America and ridden elephants through the jungles of Nepal and India.

In Bears, Bears, Bears for Kids, his engaging guide to the world's eight bear species, Lynch introduces us to the strange and wonderful natural histories of these magnificent wild animals.

For more than 40 years, Dr. Wayne Lynch has been writing about and photographing the wildlands of the world from the stark beauty of the Arctic and Antarctic to the lush rainforests of the tropics. Today, he is one of Canada's best-known and most widely published nature writers and wildlife photographers. His photo credits include hundreds of magazine covers, thousands of calendar shots, and tens of thousands of images published in over 80 countries. He is also the author/photographer of more than 45 books for children as well as over 20 highly acclaimed natural history books for adults including Windswept: A Passionate View of the Prairie Grasslands; Penguins of the World; Bears: Monarchs of the Northern Wilderness; A is for Arctic: Natural Wonders of a Polar World; Wild Birds Across the Prairies;Planet Arctic: Life at the Top of the World; The Great Northern Kingdom: Life in the Boreal Forest; Owls of the United States and Canada: A Complete Guide to their Biology and Behavior; Penguins: The World's Coolest Birds; Galapagos: A Traveler's Introduction; A Celebration of Prairie Birds; and Bears of the North: A Year Inside Their Worlds.In 2022, he released Wildlife of the Rockies for Kids and Loons: Treasured Symbols of the North. His books have won multiple awards and have been described as "a magical combination of words and images."

Wayne Lynch's profile page

Galapagos: A Traveler's Introduction ordinarily would appear in our travel section, but its solid biology and rich color photos from naturalist author Wayne Lynch makes it a special recommendation for armchair readers with any interest in the visual and scientific processes of these unique islands. The lovely photos are the backbone of a discussion designed to visually illustrate Darwin's theories, providing amateur naturalists with beautiful color images that make it easier to understand not only Darwin's observations and conclusions, but the special allure of the Galapagos. It's a rare visual treat highly recommended for armchair naturalists, would-be visitors, and nature enthusiasts alike.

Donovan's Bookshelf

The book is glorious, featuring large pictures of the amazing creatures and plant life that call these islands home as well as information about ... the Galapagos. There is a section titled HIPPO, which summarizes all that we are doing to destroy this wonder of the world, and what we are doing to help. Each time I look at this book, my desire to the Galapagos increases. One day.

Newmarket Today

(starred review) In this richly illustrated guide, Lynch (Planet Arctic) shows readers why the Galapagos Islands, where naturalist Charles Darwin studied habitat-specific adaptations of wildlife, still fascinate scientists and tourists alike. Lynch is a seasoned nature photographer, and his large, full-color images offer readers stunning glimpses of the islands' life and landscapes. The book begins by discussing how eruptions from underwater volcanoes formed this chain of Pacific islands as recently as 80-90 million years ago. Most of the book showcases and provides concise information about specific species of flora and fauna, particularly those that have developed unique biological traits, such as the heavy or pointed beaks of the finches that so amazed Darwin, and other species, such as the Galapagos penguin, that are found nowhere else on Earth. Lynch includes a chapter on human visits to the islands, which were limited for centuries to pirates and castaways. Today, the Galapagos attract more than 220,000 tourists yearly and boast a permanent population of more than 35,000. The final chapter details how habitat loss, pollution, and invasive species point to a challenging future for this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lynch's beautiful and informative guide is a must for fans of nature photography and perfect for tourists planning to travel to the islands.

Publishers Weekly