Rábida Galapagos

Rabida also known as Jervis Island, is one of two small islands located to the south of Santiago. Has an area of 4.9 km² and a maximum altitude of 367 meters.

Rabida looks red with the lava containing a lot of ferric oxide in the lava. Very special is the red sand of the beach with the saltbush vegetation and the silvery palo santo trees on the slopes.

Rabida is a bird-watchers delight. Some of the rarest species are in abundance, such as 9 varieties of finches, large billed flycatchers, Galapagos hawks and brown pelicans. The dark red sand beaches and a horde of snoring sea lions make for spectacular snorkeling. Also, the island is home to the skinny legged Flamingo, which can be seen in a salt-water lagoon near the beach.: )

In 1971 the National Park Service successfully eradicated goats from Rabida. This introduced species upset the natural environment and led to the extinction of several native creatures including Geckos, Land Iguanas, and Rice Rats.

Rabida is one of the most volcanically varied islands in the chain.