Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1978 and situated in the Pacific Ocean some 1,000 kilometres from the South American continent, the 19 islands and surrounding marine reserve that make up the Galápagos Islands are referred to as a unique ‘living museum and showcase of evolution’. Located at the confluence of three ocean currents, the waters here are a melting pot of marine species, that include the incredibly agile Galápagos sea lion that exclusively breeds here.