Santa Cruz Island
The day started overcast, which is fine by me as it keeps the temperatures here in the southeasternmost corner of Santa Cruz Island in the respectable mid-70’s range. The southeast trade winds cause a build-up of humidity in the town of Puerto Ayora most of the year, which usually results in everyone feeling warmer during our visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station. Today was delightful. The Station has recently put up new signs and interpretive panels all around, foregoing the sterile look of words on plain wood. Now they are going for unusual designs, colors and carvings which even the Galapagos mockingbirds seem to feel appropriate as a perch for photo ops (very user friendly for all language groups and species).
Our focus today has been on the giant tortoises of the archipelago, with a few land iguanas thrown in for good measure. Exactly what is being done to protect these endangered species is the main theme of our visit. Not only can we gaze with awe at the largest “domed” tortoise individuals at the Station, we can sit in amongst them in one of the areas, watch their interactions and marvel at their slow breathing and movements. They seem so thoughtful and determined in all they under take, one can’t help but anthropomorphosize and wonder at their thoughts as well.
Afternoon options invited our guests to go out and look for tortoises wandering wild and free in the green highlands. Interestingly enough, even in the bustling little town of Puerto Ayora, the wild and free marine iguanas also continue as they have done for millennia, however using the man-made concrete jetty. The marine iguana youngsters are just a few years old, and as I stood on the dock, I noticed them lined up on the edge catching the afternoon warmth from the sun (which had come out full force). Below them, quite a few more of the same age were grazing the algae off the lava rocks exposed at low tide. All this while tenders (called “pangas” here) passed them by in the water, and human legs and feet and bicycles wandered by on land. It continues to amaze me after all these years.
The day started overcast, which is fine by me as it keeps the temperatures here in the southeasternmost corner of Santa Cruz Island in the respectable mid-70’s range. The southeast trade winds cause a build-up of humidity in the town of Puerto Ayora most of the year, which usually results in everyone feeling warmer during our visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station. Today was delightful. The Station has recently put up new signs and interpretive panels all around, foregoing the sterile look of words on plain wood. Now they are going for unusual designs, colors and carvings which even the Galapagos mockingbirds seem to feel appropriate as a perch for photo ops (very user friendly for all language groups and species).
Our focus today has been on the giant tortoises of the archipelago, with a few land iguanas thrown in for good measure. Exactly what is being done to protect these endangered species is the main theme of our visit. Not only can we gaze with awe at the largest “domed” tortoise individuals at the Station, we can sit in amongst them in one of the areas, watch their interactions and marvel at their slow breathing and movements. They seem so thoughtful and determined in all they under take, one can’t help but anthropomorphosize and wonder at their thoughts as well.
Afternoon options invited our guests to go out and look for tortoises wandering wild and free in the green highlands. Interestingly enough, even in the bustling little town of Puerto Ayora, the wild and free marine iguanas also continue as they have done for millennia, however using the man-made concrete jetty. The marine iguana youngsters are just a few years old, and as I stood on the dock, I noticed them lined up on the edge catching the afternoon warmth from the sun (which had come out full force). Below them, quite a few more of the same age were grazing the algae off the lava rocks exposed at low tide. All this while tenders (called “pangas” here) passed them by in the water, and human legs and feet and bicycles wandered by on land. It continues to amaze me after all these years.
