Santa Cruz Island
It would be a little difficult to explain all the feelings and excitements we experienced today, so I am just going to limit myself and describe our day as “successful”. Those feeling of “successfulness” filled the air when, by the end of the day, all the expectations that our guests have had for our visit had been accomplished and surpassed.
Ever since their discovery, the Galapagos Islands have been known for their giant tortoises, Geochelone elephantopus. In fact, the name “Galapagos” itself originates from the Spanish word “galapago”, meaning tortoise. These enormous reptiles continue to be the best known of the Galapagos animals, and are often used as the visual symbol of the archipelago.
Our visit today began at the Charles Darwin Research Station, where several of these ancient reptiles are kept in captivity for research, captive-breeding programs and viewing by the general public. In the afternoon our energetic group of guests took advantage of the opportunity of seeing these animals in the wild. We hiked to the tortoise reserve on Santa Cruz where they are still abundant in their natural habitat.
It would be a little difficult to explain all the feelings and excitements we experienced today, so I am just going to limit myself and describe our day as “successful”. Those feeling of “successfulness” filled the air when, by the end of the day, all the expectations that our guests have had for our visit had been accomplished and surpassed.
Ever since their discovery, the Galapagos Islands have been known for their giant tortoises, Geochelone elephantopus. In fact, the name “Galapagos” itself originates from the Spanish word “galapago”, meaning tortoise. These enormous reptiles continue to be the best known of the Galapagos animals, and are often used as the visual symbol of the archipelago.
Our visit today began at the Charles Darwin Research Station, where several of these ancient reptiles are kept in captivity for research, captive-breeding programs and viewing by the general public. In the afternoon our energetic group of guests took advantage of the opportunity of seeing these animals in the wild. We hiked to the tortoise reserve on Santa Cruz where they are still abundant in their natural habitat.
