Santa Cruz Island
What could be better than another day in wonderland!
Our daily expedition started in Puerto Ayora by paying a visit to the world-renowned Charles Darwin Research Station. Here, we were informed about the conservation work that this institution conducts in order to preserve the biodiversity of the islands. The highlights were the Galápagos giant tortoises, but our first impression was this: what kind of giants were they? In fact, the first tortoises we came across were so tiny they fit in the palm of your hand! But these tiny tortoises can grow so much throughout their lives that they eventually can be as heavy as 250 kilos!
We were completely amazed when we saw the truly giant individuals, including the legendary Lonesome George who resides at the research station. Though truly impressively large, these emblematic animals that gave the name to the islands are completely harmless giant herbivores that move across the island at a snail’s pace leading an unhurried life.
Time to head to the highlands and have some fun, and of course we did! Bike rides and volleyball where naturalists and guests show their skills, one more little detail not to forget!
Late afternoon, once we had a delicious lunch in a charming restaurant, we took the buses to the highlands where we were delighted by the incredibly lush vegetation, vast grasslands with giant tortoises grazing and moving slowly towards the ponds or wallowing in puddles, all on an unusually warm day for this time of the year.
Another remarkable sighting was the enigmatic vermilion flycatcher, typical inhabitant of the “daisy-tree” forest - on adding this bird and other highland bird species to our checklists the daily expedition was concluded. We took the buses back to town and shortly afterwards back to the Polaris at the same time as Mother Nature awarded us with a beautiful sunset in a reddening western sky.
Just another day in paradise!
What could be better than another day in wonderland!
Our daily expedition started in Puerto Ayora by paying a visit to the world-renowned Charles Darwin Research Station. Here, we were informed about the conservation work that this institution conducts in order to preserve the biodiversity of the islands. The highlights were the Galápagos giant tortoises, but our first impression was this: what kind of giants were they? In fact, the first tortoises we came across were so tiny they fit in the palm of your hand! But these tiny tortoises can grow so much throughout their lives that they eventually can be as heavy as 250 kilos!
We were completely amazed when we saw the truly giant individuals, including the legendary Lonesome George who resides at the research station. Though truly impressively large, these emblematic animals that gave the name to the islands are completely harmless giant herbivores that move across the island at a snail’s pace leading an unhurried life.
Time to head to the highlands and have some fun, and of course we did! Bike rides and volleyball where naturalists and guests show their skills, one more little detail not to forget!
Late afternoon, once we had a delicious lunch in a charming restaurant, we took the buses to the highlands where we were delighted by the incredibly lush vegetation, vast grasslands with giant tortoises grazing and moving slowly towards the ponds or wallowing in puddles, all on an unusually warm day for this time of the year.
Another remarkable sighting was the enigmatic vermilion flycatcher, typical inhabitant of the “daisy-tree” forest - on adding this bird and other highland bird species to our checklists the daily expedition was concluded. We took the buses back to town and shortly afterwards back to the Polaris at the same time as Mother Nature awarded us with a beautiful sunset in a reddening western sky.
Just another day in paradise!
