Santa Cruz Island
The sun was shining early in the morning at Academy bay where Puerto Ayora is located, a beautiful town that sixteen thousand people call home. Some guests started their morning performing some stretching lead by our masseuse Patricia.
After breakfast we went to town to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, where famous Lonesome George is trying to interbreed with female tortoises from Wolf volcano of Isabela Island, once thought to be genetically closer, but not anymore. Those from Española and San Cristobal islands are actually known nowadays as the closest genetically speaking. George does not have babies yet and we hope some day we will find a mate of his same species.
The story of Diego is totally different. A male tortoise from Española picked up in 1930 and taken to San Diego Zoo is the main breeder. He is the father of most of the fourteen hundred baby tortoises already repatriated back.
After lunch we had the chance to go up into the giant tortoise reserve and search for tortoises in their own environment. As three hundred years ago whalers and buccaneers witnessed them roaming on their own under lush vegetation.
We spent a wonderful day in Puerto Ayora and its surroundings. After the outings we came back onboard to learn from Paula, the Expedition Leader, about the new adventures coming in the future days. We had musicians from town; we danced and listened to wonderful music.
The sun was shining early in the morning at Academy bay where Puerto Ayora is located, a beautiful town that sixteen thousand people call home. Some guests started their morning performing some stretching lead by our masseuse Patricia.
After breakfast we went to town to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, where famous Lonesome George is trying to interbreed with female tortoises from Wolf volcano of Isabela Island, once thought to be genetically closer, but not anymore. Those from Española and San Cristobal islands are actually known nowadays as the closest genetically speaking. George does not have babies yet and we hope some day we will find a mate of his same species.
The story of Diego is totally different. A male tortoise from Española picked up in 1930 and taken to San Diego Zoo is the main breeder. He is the father of most of the fourteen hundred baby tortoises already repatriated back.
After lunch we had the chance to go up into the giant tortoise reserve and search for tortoises in their own environment. As three hundred years ago whalers and buccaneers witnessed them roaming on their own under lush vegetation.
We spent a wonderful day in Puerto Ayora and its surroundings. After the outings we came back onboard to learn from Paula, the Expedition Leader, about the new adventures coming in the future days. We had musicians from town; we danced and listened to wonderful music.
