Santa Cruz Island

Today was spent on Santa Cruz, the Island with the highest human population of any other in Galápagos. The Charles Darwin Station is one of the most visited sites on Santa Cruz. It was where we encountered Galápagos tortoise; giant reptiles that can reach up to 800 lbs and live up to 200 years.

One of the most famous tortoises in the world lives here, his name is Lonesome George. He is a male land tortoise that is between 75 to 85 years old and the last one of his kind. There is no known tortoise to have a similar set of genes to those found on Pinta Island, aside from Lonesome George. However, some of these genes were recently found on Isabela Island, in Wolf volcano. Most likely, pirates or whalers moved tortoises from island to island, inadvertently mixing different species.

Later, we saw many tortoises in their natural habitat, on the highlands of Santa Cruz. The climate conditions were exceptional and the warm wind of the afternoon was perfect.

It was a great day!