Santa Cruz Island
This morning was just the beginning of a full day focused on tortoises primarily, but which included finches when possible and endemic plants and people. The tortoise Rearing Centre operated by the Galápagos National Park and the nearby facilities of the Charles Darwin Research Station had much to teach everyone about all that is taking place here in the islands. The effort expended to incubate eggs of tortoises and iguanas in order to repatriate them on the native islands is a true awe-inspiring story of dedication over the past fifty years. The very fact that the station and the park have successfully worked together so long for a common goal is impressive in its own right. Like siblings, it has been a history of some differences but many outstanding successes, such as the Española race of giant tortoise, with others catching up quickly.
The town of Puerto Ayora is said to be between 12 to 15,000 inhabitants, and the traffic is something to keep your eyes on. However, unexpected pockets of wildlife live surrounded this hustle and bustle, and as we reached the town’s major dock, these small, young marine iguanas were all lined up facing into the sun to reduce their full body exposure to a fierce sun. It just so happened they were also facing us.
The afternoon was filled with more tortoise-sightings, but this time out in the fields of the highlands of the island. The island of Santa Cruz claims a separate race of giant tortoise to itself, and the population follows what is most important to all forms of life throughout the year: food and reproduction. At the moment, the grass is still greener in the highlands, and so here one encounters these giants. However the rains and warm weather have started, and soon the tortoises, guided by their own, slow pace, will make their way down to the lower reaches of the islands. The females are heading downhill in preparation for laying their eggs, and so the males follow suit in hopes of mating.
Soon enough, all of us also headed downhill for a return to the National Geographic Polaris, a cool shower and change, drinks and dinner. It’s wonderful to have a ship we call “home” so conveniently positioned, here in these unusual islands surrounded by the ocean.
This morning was just the beginning of a full day focused on tortoises primarily, but which included finches when possible and endemic plants and people. The tortoise Rearing Centre operated by the Galápagos National Park and the nearby facilities of the Charles Darwin Research Station had much to teach everyone about all that is taking place here in the islands. The effort expended to incubate eggs of tortoises and iguanas in order to repatriate them on the native islands is a true awe-inspiring story of dedication over the past fifty years. The very fact that the station and the park have successfully worked together so long for a common goal is impressive in its own right. Like siblings, it has been a history of some differences but many outstanding successes, such as the Española race of giant tortoise, with others catching up quickly.
The town of Puerto Ayora is said to be between 12 to 15,000 inhabitants, and the traffic is something to keep your eyes on. However, unexpected pockets of wildlife live surrounded this hustle and bustle, and as we reached the town’s major dock, these small, young marine iguanas were all lined up facing into the sun to reduce their full body exposure to a fierce sun. It just so happened they were also facing us.
The afternoon was filled with more tortoise-sightings, but this time out in the fields of the highlands of the island. The island of Santa Cruz claims a separate race of giant tortoise to itself, and the population follows what is most important to all forms of life throughout the year: food and reproduction. At the moment, the grass is still greener in the highlands, and so here one encounters these giants. However the rains and warm weather have started, and soon the tortoises, guided by their own, slow pace, will make their way down to the lower reaches of the islands. The females are heading downhill in preparation for laying their eggs, and so the males follow suit in hopes of mating.
Soon enough, all of us also headed downhill for a return to the National Geographic Polaris, a cool shower and change, drinks and dinner. It’s wonderful to have a ship we call “home” so conveniently positioned, here in these unusual islands surrounded by the ocean.
