North Seymour Island Galapagos
NORTH SEYMOUR ISLAND
Explore the Wildlife Wonderland of North Seymour Island
- Area: 1,8 km²
- Highest point: 28 m
- Population: uninhabited
- Travel options: Cruise ship, day trip from Santa Cruz
Visitor highlights:
- Round trip on the island
- Insel Mosquera
- Important animals and plants: Sea lions, frigate birds, blue-footed boobies, fork-tailed gulls, land iguanas, marine iguanas and much more.
General information
The island of North Seymour is located north of Baltra Island. It was named after the English nobleman Lord Hugh Seymour. Along with the northern part of Santa Cruz and Baltra, it was formed by uplifts of submarine lava, creating a flat plateau. The island is an ideal spot for bird enthusiasts. In addition to blue-footed boobies and swallow-tailed gulls, it is home to the largest colony of frigatebirds in the archipelago. Here, you can find two subspecies: magnificent frigatebirds and great frigatebirds, both impressive with their bright red throat pouches, almost the size of a soccer ball. However, frigatebirds pose a threat to blue-footed boobies as they compete for prey and also prey on their eggs and young.
North Seymour also hosts land iguanas, although they are not endemic to the island. They were introduced from Baltra in the 1930s to ensure the survival of the species, as goats introduced to Baltra posed a threat to them. Currently, North Seymour is home to approximately 2500 land iguanas.
Due to its central location, North Seymour is a popular destination, visited by many cruise ships such as the yacht Aqua, the sailing catamaran Nemo, the catamaran Seaman Journey, and the yacht Angelito. Additionally, it is one of the uninhabited islands visited from Santa Cruz as part of island hopping tours.
Places to visit on Seymour North Island
Round trip on the island
After landing on the coast, you will likely encounter several sea lions resting on the sand or on the rocks. You might even spot a fur seal. A trail of about two kilometers leads along the coast and then further inland. Here, you will walk through one of the largest nesting areas of frigatebirds and swallow-tailed gulls in the Galapagos Archipelago. You will also likely encounter land iguanas and blue-footed boobies. Interestingly, marine iguanas have been observed here feeding on land vegetation, which is a very atypical behavior for this species.
Insel Mosquera
In the channel between Baltra and North Seymour lies the small island of Mosquera. This sandy island has almost no vegetation but hosts one of the largest populations of sea lions in the archipelago. This is likely due to the abundant food available, which accumulates in the shallow depths of the channel like a trap. You’ll land on the white sand beach and can observe the sea lions during a stroll. Sea birds soar overhead, and red rock crabs are plentiful, along with occasional lava herons. The waters around Mosquera are ideal for snorkeling, offering a chance to observe the diverse underwater life. Mosquera is also a popular diving spot for this reason.
