With an average lifespan of 150 years, Galápagos giant tortoises are the oldest reptiles on planet earth. And they really are giants — full grown adults can exceed 550 pounds. They also happen to be endangered and have become a flagship species for conservation efforts in their isolated home range. It was a great experience to be in their presence in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 22mm) ISO 400, f/7.1 at 1/1000th of a second.

Twenty species of lava lizard are recognized as distinct species. Ten of those species are endemic to the Galápagos Islands. They all have their particular coloring, shape and behavior depending on the island they are found. Those on dark, lava-rock islands tend to be darker than those on lighter sandy islands. This guy was on Santiago Island. I caught him mid-facial peel. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 105 macro lens, ISO 400, f/8 at 1/400th of a second.

Galápagos sea lions are virtually everywhere in the Galápagos archipelago. In some places, you have to be careful not to trip over them. Their ubiquity, as well as their playful and welcoming nature have earned them the title of “welcoming party” for the islands. In this instance, I was able to capture a tender moment between a mother and her pup. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/6.3 at 1/640th of a second.

A Galápagos sea lion floats through the clear waters of Rabida Island in the Galápagos. I like that you can see the tail on this one. Each afternoon of our Galápagos trip we had the opportunity to snorkel with sea lions. They rarely disappointed. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) in Ikelite underwater housing, ISO 800, f/9 at1/320th of a second.

Marine iguanas are the only lizards on earth that swim in the ocean. They are herbivores and as you can see from the lava-rock landscape they inhabit in the Galapagos Islands, there isn’t much foliage to feed on. They’ve adapted to a life in the water where there is a far greater abundance of plant life. I was really hoping for an underwater shot while snorkeling, but they move much more quickly in water than out. No problem getting all sorts of shots as they rested for the good part of the day on the black rock of La Fe Island. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 400, f/10 at 1/800th of a second.

Spotting and being able to photograph a tayra was the highlight of my trip to the Ecuadorian cloud forest back in 2012. I had seen one before in Bolivia, but before I could get a shot, the notoriously skittish member of the weasel family disappeared into the jungle. Tayras spend a good deal of their time in trees, but will also patrol the forest floor in search of food. They are opportunistic omnivores and have a varied diet consisting of rodents and other small mammals, as well as lizards, birds, invertebrates, various fruits and honey. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/60th of a second.

A couple of young Galápagos sea lions pose for the camera. This one was taken on Santiago Island. You can see a bunch of marine iguanas hanging out in the background. In fact, it seems wherever you go in the Galápagos there are marine iguanas hanging out in the background. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 800, f/18 at 1/200th of a second.

Tree frogs, and glass frogs in particular, are a favorite of mine. I love going out at night in tropical locations to find and photograph them. I’m not quite sure if this is a Fleischmann’s glass frog or an emerald glass frog. Or perhaps something else. There are quite a few species and identification for the casual herpetologist can prove difficult. All glass frogs are characterized by their translucent skin on their underside that gives them their name. I photographed this one on a misty night in the cloud forest of Ecuador. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 105mm macro lens, ISO 200, f/10 at 1/60th of a second, two Nikon SB-900 flash units.

We saw a lot of these Nazca boobies throughout the Galápagos Islands. Quite a few of them were tending to their eggs. This photo was taken on Genovesa Island. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 400, f/11 at 1/500th of a second.

Felt like a good night for a dove. In this case a Galápagos dove. Photographed on Genovesa Island. This species is found only in the Galápagos archipelago, but is fairly common in its limited range. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 330mm) ISO 400, f/5 at 1/640th of a second.