Life on Mars

The tiny, uninhabited island of South Plaza is located off the east coast of Santa Cruz in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. Created by an upsurge of lava from the ocean, South Plaza is home to an array of exotic flora and fauna. Here, the sesuvium (or sea-purslanes) contrast with the green prickly pear cactus trees to produce an otherworldly vista. The ground vegetation is bright green in the rainy season, but changes to red, orange, and purple during the dry season.