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14 unique animals of the Galapagos Islands

Galapagos hawk flying

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Galapagos hawk

As the only diurnal raptor to inhabit the islands, the Galapagos hawk is hard to miss. Though it mostly preys on small animals such as locusts, centipedes and lizards, this raptor is a top predator and has been known to swoop down on iguanas and giant tortoise hatchlings.

These raptors also attack introduced species such as goats and chickens. As a result, they have been heavily hunted by farmers, and have become extremely endangered. Only about 200 breeding pairs are believed to exist.