Santa Fe Island
Encyclopedia
Santa Fe Island also called Barrington Island after admiral Samuel Barrington
, is a small island
of 24 km² which lies in the centre of the Galapagos archipelago, to the south east of Santa Cruz Island
. Geologically
it is one of the oldest, since volcanic rock
s of about 4 million years old have been found. The vegetation of the island is characterized by brush, palo santo trees
and stands of a large variety of the prickly pear
cactus Opuntia echios
.
Among animals, Santa Fe is home to one endemic species and one endemic subspecies: the Barrington Land Iguana
(Conolophus pallidus) and the Santa Fe Rice Rat
(Aegialomys galapagoensis bauri).
The visitor site is a wet landing located in Barrington Bay on the northeastern side of the island. Large numbers of sea lions
are found on the beaches in the bay, occasionally hindering peregrination to the two trails leading from the beach.
Samuel Barrington
Rear Admiral Samuel Barrington RN was a British admiral.Samuel was the fourth son of John Shute Barrington, 1st Viscount Barrington of Beckett Hall at Shrivenham in Berkshire...
, is a small island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
of 24 km² which lies in the centre of the Galapagos archipelago, to the south east of Santa Cruz Island
Santa Cruz Island (Galápagos)
Santa Cruz Island is one of the Galápagos Islands with an area of and a maximum altitude of .Situated in the center of the archipelago, Santa Cruz is the second largest island after Isabela. Its capital is Puerto Ayora, the most populated urban centre in the islands. On Santa Cruz there are some...
. Geologically
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
it is one of the oldest, since volcanic rock
Volcanic rock
Volcanic rock is a rock formed from magma erupted from a volcano. In other words, it is an igneous rock of volcanic origin...
s of about 4 million years old have been found. The vegetation of the island is characterized by brush, palo santo trees
Bursera graveolens
Bursera graveolens, known in Spanish as is a wild tree native from Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula to Peru and Venezuela that inhabits the South American Gran Chaco region . It is also found in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and on the Galapagos islands...
and stands of a large variety of the prickly pear
Opuntia
Opuntia, also known as nopales or paddle cactus , is a genus in the cactus family, Cactaceae.Currently, only prickly pears are included in this genus of about 200 species distributed throughout most of the Americas. Chollas are now separated into the genus Cylindropuntia, which some still consider...
cactus Opuntia echios
Opuntia echios
Opuntia echios is a species of plant in the Cactaceae family. It is endemic to the Galápagos Islands and is commonly known as the Galápagos prickly pear, but there are five other species of prickly pears that also are endemic to the archipelago Opuntia echios is a species of plant in the Cactaceae...
.
Among animals, Santa Fe is home to one endemic species and one endemic subspecies: the Barrington Land Iguana
Barrington Land Iguana
The Barrington Land Iguana, or the Santa Fe Land Iguana, is a species of lizard in the Iguanidae family. It is one of three species of Conolophus.It is endemic to Santa Fe Island in the Galapagos.-Taxonomy:...
(Conolophus pallidus) and the Santa Fe Rice Rat
Galapagos Rice Rat
Aegialomys galapagoensis, also known as the Galápagos Rice Rat or Galápagos Oryzomys, is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae from the Galápagos Islands. It belongs to the genus Aegialomys in tribe Oryzomyini, but was previously placed in Oryzomys as Oryzomys galapagoensis. Its natural...
(Aegialomys galapagoensis bauri).
The visitor site is a wet landing located in Barrington Bay on the northeastern side of the island. Large numbers of sea lions
Galápagos Sea Lion
The Galápagos sea lion , a species of sea lion, exclusively breeds on the Galápagos Islands and – in smaller numbers – on Isla de la Plata . Being fairly social, and one of the most numerous species in the Galápagos archipelago, they are often spotted sun-bathing on sandy shores or rock groups or...
are found on the beaches in the bay, occasionally hindering peregrination to the two trails leading from the beach.