Isabela Island
Our morning began with hiking on the Highlands of Sierra Negra Volcano. We visited one of its parasitic cones called Volcan Chico. Using our imagination through the dramatic landscape, we could visualize how these timeless islands were formed. With a spectacular vista and a perfect view of three multicolor volcanoes, we drifted through lava waves, arches and cones. Furthermore, the sulfur smell coming from the fumaroles was noticeable. There were few insects like butterflies and ladybugs, nevertheless, yellow warblers and finches at our feet were trying to fill all these empty ecological niches due to the scarce vegetation and lack of wildlife.
Alternatively, some of us visited Puerto Villamil. This beautiful fishing community with its white sandy streets holds more or less 1500 inhabitants. The people live from agriculture, too, and nowadays, tourism is increasing. Successfully, tortoise repatriation and conservation programs are taken place at the Rearing Center. Unique tortoise populations from this volcano were close to extinction, due to human activities. In the 18th century, whalers took thousands of them as a source of food, and later, in the 1920’s giant tortoise oil was exported to illuminate lamps in Guayaquil, the most important city port in Ecuador.
In the afternoon, we had the opportunity to visit “las tintoreras” as white-tipped reef sharks are called. As we were observing them swimming back and forth in a fissure, a sea lion came in and unsuccessfully tried to scare them. In contrast, we were surrounded by a dramatic landscape and baby marine iguanas, too. Wildlife and humans are interacting to share paradise!
Our morning began with hiking on the Highlands of Sierra Negra Volcano. We visited one of its parasitic cones called Volcan Chico. Using our imagination through the dramatic landscape, we could visualize how these timeless islands were formed. With a spectacular vista and a perfect view of three multicolor volcanoes, we drifted through lava waves, arches and cones. Furthermore, the sulfur smell coming from the fumaroles was noticeable. There were few insects like butterflies and ladybugs, nevertheless, yellow warblers and finches at our feet were trying to fill all these empty ecological niches due to the scarce vegetation and lack of wildlife.
Alternatively, some of us visited Puerto Villamil. This beautiful fishing community with its white sandy streets holds more or less 1500 inhabitants. The people live from agriculture, too, and nowadays, tourism is increasing. Successfully, tortoise repatriation and conservation programs are taken place at the Rearing Center. Unique tortoise populations from this volcano were close to extinction, due to human activities. In the 18th century, whalers took thousands of them as a source of food, and later, in the 1920’s giant tortoise oil was exported to illuminate lamps in Guayaquil, the most important city port in Ecuador.
In the afternoon, we had the opportunity to visit “las tintoreras” as white-tipped reef sharks are called. As we were observing them swimming back and forth in a fissure, a sea lion came in and unsuccessfully tried to scare them. In contrast, we were surrounded by a dramatic landscape and baby marine iguanas, too. Wildlife and humans are interacting to share paradise!
