Friday Postcard: Sally Lightfoot
Memories from a trip of a lifetime
I studied biology in school, to the point of earning a Ph.D. in animal physiology. There is probably no place more fascinating to biologists than the Galapagos islands. Here is where Charles Darwin encountered such incredible diversity that he began to formulate his theory of evolution. So for me, going there was a BIG DEAL.
In 2019, I was fortunate to take a small group of photographers to the Galapagos archipelago, where we spent 10 days sailing around the islands on a small motor yacht. Small-group travel has some serious advantages, especially in the Galapagos, where time on each island is allocated to each tour. Being in a small group meant we did not have to split time with others; we had the entire time block to ourselves.
Today’s photo is of a Sally Lightfoot crab (Grapsus grapsus), a common inhabitant of all the Galapagos islands. Its bright colors provide dramatic contrast with the black volcanic rocks, and makes for some great photos. Sally Lightfoot crabs are an important part of the Galapagos ecosystem, as they are scavengers and in doing so, clean the beaches and rocks of biological debris.
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