Santa Cruz
Today we woke early for a visit to the town of Puerto Ayora and the Charles Darwin Research Station on the island of Santa Cruz. Walking through the Station grounds and visitor center, we had the opportunity to observe giant tree cacti. These Opuntia cacti grow taller here than anywhere else on the islands. Using these cacti and other Galapagos endemics, the naturalists were able to explain how the evolutionary process of “adaptive radiation” functions.
During our visit we learned about conservation work going on at the Charles Darwin Station and how scientists have been successful with their captive rearing of the Galapagos giant tortoises. These reptiles were once on the brink of extinction! We visited outdoor pens where the young tortoises are kept until they can be repatriated to the islands of their origin. In one large corral we had a glimpse of the most famous Galapagos animal, “Lonesome George.” The chance to be nose to nose with these giant reptiles in yet another lava rock pen, will be remembered for a long time!
Between 11:00 and noon we boarded buses and took a drive into the highlands of the island, where a delicious grilled chicken lunch awaited for us. Afterwards we had a choice of visits to make. Many of us went to ‘‘Los Gemelos” which are large pit craters illustrating the volcanic past of the island. In the highlands we discovered a totally different vegetation zone. Here the tall Scalesia trees, which are related to sunflowers and daisies, are more evidence of how species were able to adapt to their environment.
Today we woke early for a visit to the town of Puerto Ayora and the Charles Darwin Research Station on the island of Santa Cruz. Walking through the Station grounds and visitor center, we had the opportunity to observe giant tree cacti. These Opuntia cacti grow taller here than anywhere else on the islands. Using these cacti and other Galapagos endemics, the naturalists were able to explain how the evolutionary process of “adaptive radiation” functions.
During our visit we learned about conservation work going on at the Charles Darwin Station and how scientists have been successful with their captive rearing of the Galapagos giant tortoises. These reptiles were once on the brink of extinction! We visited outdoor pens where the young tortoises are kept until they can be repatriated to the islands of their origin. In one large corral we had a glimpse of the most famous Galapagos animal, “Lonesome George.” The chance to be nose to nose with these giant reptiles in yet another lava rock pen, will be remembered for a long time!
Between 11:00 and noon we boarded buses and took a drive into the highlands of the island, where a delicious grilled chicken lunch awaited for us. Afterwards we had a choice of visits to make. Many of us went to ‘‘Los Gemelos” which are large pit craters illustrating the volcanic past of the island. In the highlands we discovered a totally different vegetation zone. Here the tall Scalesia trees, which are related to sunflowers and daisies, are more evidence of how species were able to adapt to their environment.
