Santa Cruz Island
We had the best New Year's Day, January the 1st of 2008! We made a dry landing on the municipal dock of Puerto Ayora, on Santa Cruz Island. We spent the morning visiting the Rearing Center for the Galápagos giant land tortoises. Here we learned from our naturalists about the important joint efforts of the Galápagos Park Service and Charles Darwin Foundation; they have been collaborating for forty-five years to restore the dynasty of the giant land tortoises, the emblem of the islands.
These land tortoises were taken away, killed, and eaten by the hundreds of thousands during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries by pirates, whalers and buccaneers. Tortoise blubber was also used for oil in lamps and petroleum based oils were not yet used. Several of the tortoise populations were driven to the brink of extinction. Thanks to our successful program, several thousand of them have been repatriated to their islands of origin and wild populations are increasing.
Buses took us to the highlands at noon and after we crossed a huge lava tube, we enjoyed a wonderful lunch at the farm of a “Galápagueño” farmer. The afternoon’s highlights were the fearless gentle giant land tortoises that we found in a natural setting. We accompanied a large number of tortoises as they went about their every day business; during a forty minute visit, we counted about seventy tortoises all around us.
We drove higher up the island to Los Gemelos where a curious mockingbird welcomed us by standing on our bus’ mirror. He was arguing with “the bird in the mirror”, and we laughed a lot while watching his efforts in trying to chase his own image away from the bus!
The bird lovers among us enjoyed an extra walk through the Scalecia forest looking for finches, Galápagos doves, Galápagos fly catchers, and mocking birds. Plant lovers had an extensive lesson on lichens, bromeliads, ferns, club mosses, and several endemic trees and bushes among other attractions.
A full and interesting day like today, in the Enchanted Islands, was certainly a great way to start the New Year!
We had the best New Year's Day, January the 1st of 2008! We made a dry landing on the municipal dock of Puerto Ayora, on Santa Cruz Island. We spent the morning visiting the Rearing Center for the Galápagos giant land tortoises. Here we learned from our naturalists about the important joint efforts of the Galápagos Park Service and Charles Darwin Foundation; they have been collaborating for forty-five years to restore the dynasty of the giant land tortoises, the emblem of the islands.
These land tortoises were taken away, killed, and eaten by the hundreds of thousands during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries by pirates, whalers and buccaneers. Tortoise blubber was also used for oil in lamps and petroleum based oils were not yet used. Several of the tortoise populations were driven to the brink of extinction. Thanks to our successful program, several thousand of them have been repatriated to their islands of origin and wild populations are increasing.
Buses took us to the highlands at noon and after we crossed a huge lava tube, we enjoyed a wonderful lunch at the farm of a “Galápagueño” farmer. The afternoon’s highlights were the fearless gentle giant land tortoises that we found in a natural setting. We accompanied a large number of tortoises as they went about their every day business; during a forty minute visit, we counted about seventy tortoises all around us.
We drove higher up the island to Los Gemelos where a curious mockingbird welcomed us by standing on our bus’ mirror. He was arguing with “the bird in the mirror”, and we laughed a lot while watching his efforts in trying to chase his own image away from the bus!
The bird lovers among us enjoyed an extra walk through the Scalecia forest looking for finches, Galápagos doves, Galápagos fly catchers, and mocking birds. Plant lovers had an extensive lesson on lichens, bromeliads, ferns, club mosses, and several endemic trees and bushes among other attractions.
A full and interesting day like today, in the Enchanted Islands, was certainly a great way to start the New Year!
