![\"\"](\"https:\/\/academybaydiving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/galapagos-4324983_1920.jpg\")
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The Gal\u00e1pagos Sea Lion<\/h2>\n
What\u2019s cute, curious and can dive up to 600m deep? The Gal\u00e1pagos Sea Lion, of course! Endemic to the Gal\u00e1pagos, these animals are incredibly friendly, inquisitive, and have even been known to blow bubbles at approaching tourists, making for a great photo op!<\/p>\n
As adept on land as they are in the sea, you\u2019ll often find them frolicking in the waves or sunbathing on the beach, where they can cover ground faster than the average person can run. If you want to get up close and personal with these playful pups, have a look at our 8-day Discover Gal\u00e1pagos tour<\/a>.<\/p>\n Out of all the wonderful wildlife in the Gal\u00e1pagos, none is as impressive as the whale shark.<\/p>\n As big as a school bus, these gargantuan giants can reach lengths of up to 60 feet (18 meters) and are one of only three species of filter-feeding sharks.<\/p>\n Although gentle by nature, they\u2019re not immune to stress \u2013 so whether you\u2019re snorkeling or scuba diving, make sure to approach them from the side and maintain a distance of at least 3 meters at all times.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve ever wondered how much algae and seagrass you\u2019d have to eat to turn green, look no further than the green sea turtle! Hard-shelled and herbivorous, their finely serrated beaks help them consume large amounts of vegetation, which turns their fat a distinctive greenish hue.<\/p>\n Known for their epic migrations, you\u2019ll find them breeding on various beaches between December and March each year, and in the coastal waters surrounding the islands year-round.<\/p>\n If we asked you to picture a stereotypical shark, there\u2019s a good chance it would look something like the Gal\u00e1pagos shark. With their streamlined gray or gray-brown bodies, wide long snouts and large eyes, they can be hard to identify, often being mistaken for dusky or reef sharks instead.<\/p>\n Although first discovered in the Gal\u00e1pagos (hence the name), you\u2019ll also find Gal\u00e1pagos Sharks off the coast of other tropical oceanic islands in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. While they typically feed on fish found on or near the seafloor, they\u2019re also partial to fur seals, sea lions and have even been known to eat their young!<\/p>\n For the ultimate shark experience, check out our Shark Encounters tour<\/a>. Across 8 days, we\u2019ll visit the most-frequented shark sites in the Gal\u00e1pagos, where you\u2019ll be able to spot scalloped hammerhead sharks, black-tipped and white-tipped reef sharks and Gal\u00e1pagos sharks, along with tons of other magical marine life.<\/p>\n Growing to widths of up to 23 feet (7 meters), it\u2019s impossible to miss these mammoth diamond-shaped marvels! Despite their massive size, manta rays feed primarily on plankton and tiny fish, using special flaps to propel water and food into their wide, open mouths as they swim.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re diving near coral reefs and coastal areas you\u2019re more likely to spot reef manta rays, whereas oceanic manta rays prefer to hang out in deeper parts of the ocean. Although their size can be intimidating, manta rays are actually super friendly and curious \u2013 so don\u2019t be surprised if you\u2019re approached by one during your dive!<\/p>\n With their unique markings, kite-shaped bodies and poisonous barbed tails, spotted eagle rays are as stunning as they are stingy! Although we wouldn\u2019t advise getting too close to these amazing animals, you\u2019ll be able to spot them from a distance thanks to their distinctive spotted markings and considerable size of up to 11 feet.<\/p>\n Less sociable than manta rays, they\u2019re pretty shy around divers, but we do often see them around Isabela Island and Santa Cruz Island.<\/p>\n Out of all of the 30-plus species of shark found in the Gal\u00e1pagos, the scalloped hammerhead shark is one of the most social. So social, in fact, that it\u2019s not unusual to see hundreds or even thousands of them around the islands\u2019 continental shelves and coral reefs!<\/p>\n Although they\u2019ve got a bit of a bad reputation, scalloped hammerhead sharks are actually very shy around humans, to the extent that scientists struggle to study them.<\/p>\n If swimming with scalloped hammerheads is top of your shark-spotting agenda, be sure to check out our 11-day Born to Dive Galapagos tour<\/a>.<\/p>\n Despite sounding like the name of a tropical cocktail, mola are actually supersized sunfish that can be divided into two distinct species \u2013 the ocean sunfish (mola mola) and the giant sunfish (mola ramsayi).<\/p>\n Unlike typical fish, mola mola\u2019s largest fins are on the top and underside of their bodies \u2013 making it look a bit like they\u2019re swimming sideways, rather than the right way up.<\/p>\n For the best chance of spotting these wonderful weirdos, head to Isabela Island, where you\u2019ll often find them basking near the surface of the water.<\/p>\n While we couldn\u2019t fit everything in this list, it\u2019s easy to see why the Gal\u00e1pagos Islands are one of the top spots for sensational scuba diving in the world.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re ready to embark on your next adventure, why not have a look at our daily Gal\u00e1pagos dive tours<\/a> and multi-day diving packages<\/a>? Whether you dream of playing with sea lion pups or swimming in the shadows of manta rays \u2013 you\u2019re guaranteed to make memories that will last a lifetime in this magical world beneath the waves.<\/p>\nWhale Sharks<\/h2>\n
![\"An](\"https:\/\/academybaydiving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/pexels-matt-botha-4777688.jpg\")
<\/p>\nGreen Sea Turtles<\/h2>\n
Gal\u00e1pagos Sharks<\/h2>\n
Manta Rays<\/h2>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/academybaydiving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/pexels-matt-waters-12889881.jpg\")
<\/p>\nSpotted Eagle Rays<\/h2>\n
Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks<\/h2>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/academybaydiving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/pexels-ben-phillips-4781942.jpg\")
<\/p>\nMola Mola<\/h2>\n
Start your Gal\u00e1pagos Adventure Today<\/h2>\n