Santa Cruz and North Seymour Island
What a great country for birds and tortoises!!! That’s probably what you would say about these magic islands if you were here and saw what we got to see today. Our expedition took place today partly on Santa Cruz Island. Here, the Galápagos giant tortoises are found roaming gently up in the highlands, and they were the main objective of our journey there. These large reptiles, which for centuries have dominated the island’s ecosystems, were hunted as food. Fortunately they still remain forming large populations of several thousands individuals, thanks to the conservation work carried out by the Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS) and National Park Service.
A bus ride took us to higher grounds on the island covered by big trees and large grasses, as well. This is also a paradise for some tropical fruits such as the passion fruit, which has become part of these giant reptiles’ diet.
Once in their territory, we had some close encounters with them. We explained to our guests the importance of these large herbivores for science and for the natural history of this peculiar cluster of islands. It was also nice to enjoy the cool breeze and the song’s of the famous Darwin Finches, as our stroll took us back to the buses.
Another interesting feature of the visit was the lava tunnel. We took a walk inside one of them, discovering the secrets of these underground formations. This lava formation was so interesting because it showed us all the power of the volcanic activity during the formation of the island.
Later on, after lunch of course, we headed to the Island of North Seymour. This is the home to thousands of sea birds, particularly blue footed boobies. They were everywhere sharing the ecosystem with frigate birds, which red pouches dotted the green vegetation all over around.
And to top it all, the unmistakable courtship sound performed by the blue footed boobies and their nuptial dance, whistling and honking, as we contemplated the sunset right behind the island of Santiago. It was just terrific!
What a great country for birds and tortoises!!! That’s probably what you would say about these magic islands if you were here and saw what we got to see today. Our expedition took place today partly on Santa Cruz Island. Here, the Galápagos giant tortoises are found roaming gently up in the highlands, and they were the main objective of our journey there. These large reptiles, which for centuries have dominated the island’s ecosystems, were hunted as food. Fortunately they still remain forming large populations of several thousands individuals, thanks to the conservation work carried out by the Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS) and National Park Service.
A bus ride took us to higher grounds on the island covered by big trees and large grasses, as well. This is also a paradise for some tropical fruits such as the passion fruit, which has become part of these giant reptiles’ diet.
Once in their territory, we had some close encounters with them. We explained to our guests the importance of these large herbivores for science and for the natural history of this peculiar cluster of islands. It was also nice to enjoy the cool breeze and the song’s of the famous Darwin Finches, as our stroll took us back to the buses.
Another interesting feature of the visit was the lava tunnel. We took a walk inside one of them, discovering the secrets of these underground formations. This lava formation was so interesting because it showed us all the power of the volcanic activity during the formation of the island.
Later on, after lunch of course, we headed to the Island of North Seymour. This is the home to thousands of sea birds, particularly blue footed boobies. They were everywhere sharing the ecosystem with frigate birds, which red pouches dotted the green vegetation all over around.
And to top it all, the unmistakable courtship sound performed by the blue footed boobies and their nuptial dance, whistling and honking, as we contemplated the sunset right behind the island of Santiago. It was just terrific!
