The ecoregion is well known for its unique endemic species, including giant tortoises, birds, and marine iguanas, which evolved in isolation to adapt to islands' environments.

The Galápagos Islands lie in the Pacific Ocean, about 960 km west of the South American mainland.

Surface geology consists of volcanic rock, typically basalt, and includes pumice, ash, and tuff ejected from volcanoes.

The dry or garúa (misty) season generally lasts from May to December, influenced by the cool Humboldt Current coming from the south.

[1] The hot and wet season extends December to May, influenced by the warm Panama Current from the north shifting to surround the islands.

A few of the islands have high-elevation areas with cooler temperatures and higher rainfall, which are home to humid-climate forests and shrublands, and montane grasslands, or pampas, at the highest elevations.

[1] Coastal plant communities are generally low-growing shrubs and herbs which are tolerant of drought and salt spray.

Common trees include the palo santo (Bursera graveolens) and paga paga (Pisonia floribunda), and the endemic trees guayabillo (Psidium galapageium) and Bursera malacophylla, which is found only on Seymour, Baltra and Daphne islands.

The low tree cat's claw (Zanthoxylum fagara) is most abundant between 500 and 600 meters elevation, in the transition between the Scalesia woodlands below and the Miconia shrublands above.

[1] The Galápagos is home to many endemic species of reptiles, birds, mammals, land snails, insects.

Endemic seabirds include the Galapagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus), waved albatross (Phoebastria irrorata), flightless cormorant (Nannopterum harrisi), swallow-tailed gull (Creagrus furcatus), and lava gull (Leucophaeus fuliginosus).

[1] The Waved albatross (Phoebastria irrorata) can be found on the coasts of mainland South America but breeds only on the Galapagos Islands and Isla de la Plata.

Notable species include the giant Galápagos tortoise (Chelonoidis niger ), which evolved 15 distinct subspecies, of which 13 remain.

The Galápagos red bat (Lasiurus blossevillii brachyotis) inhabits Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal, where feeds near the ground on insects.

Invasive species are considered the greatest current threat to the Galápagos' native animals and plants.

Access to the uninhabited islands is strictly controlled, and visitor numbers and itineraries are limited and planned by authorities.