Much of the land in the Galápagos Islands consists of hard, broken cobblestone of rough-hewn lava rock, split and made uneven by the passage of wind and water. Other areas are covered with pear cactus, palo santo trees, and brown and gray vegetation. On the younger islands, such as the mammoth Isabela, there is a feeling that you've walked back to the dawn of time.
But there is much vibrant life too, especially on the island of Santa Cruz. There, vast areas of mangrove trees grow along the shoreline. As the elevation rises inland to the north, the climate zone changes to a lush, verdant temperate zone, where abundant farming takes place, including the cultivation of tropical fruits and other crops.
"People think the Galápagos are just a land of rock, lava, and birds," says branch president Daniel Calapucha. But, as he explains, they are blessed with ranches, cattle, and fruit trees.
Left: The islands of Santa Cruz (left) and Baltra (right) in the Galápagos. Above: Marine iguanas hold fast to a rock in Tortuga Bay, Santa Cruz.
Above: The bay and town of Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz. Below, from left: Sandra and André Degel with their niece Claudine; Mariana Becerra; the Palacios family; Oswaldo and Rosario Villón.
Below: Daniel and Angela Calapucha; Araceli Duran with her children; members of the Galápagos branch who helped build Elena Cedeño's house; the Galápagos Islands Branch meetinghouse.
Below: The Fueres family joined the Church in Otavalo, Ecuador, and later moved to the Galápagos Islands in search of work. Below right: Elena Cedeño (left) with her sister, Maria; with Maria's help, Elena joined the Church earlier this year.
Photographs by Joshua J. Perkey, except as noted
Top left: photograph courtesy of Floyd and Susan Baum
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