Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos, 11/25/2021, National Geographic Endeavour II
Aboard the
National Geographic Endeavour II
Galápagos
Located in the center of the Galápagos archipelago, Santa Cruz is a very interesting island due to its size and elevation. The northern part of the island is in the rain shadow with a chronic shortage of precipitation, while its south-facing side retains the cloud cover pushed by the prevailing southeastern trade winds. Because of these unique climatic conditions, the south of the island is greener, while the northern part has an extended arid zone. Santa Cruz is also the home to a large population of endemic giant tortoises, mostly found in the lush, greener southern “hemisphere” of the island.
Gaby was born and raised in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Her first job in the Galapagos was on board a 90-passenger cruise ship as the cruise director’s assistant, and she fell under the spell of the Enchanted Isles. She returned to Guayaquil to study at the ...
Joshua is a visual artist from the Galápagos Islands. He grew up on the island of Santa Cruz, where he developed a strong connection with the natural world that surrounded him and where he learned the importance of sustainability and conservation.
Early in the morning, expedition leader Carlos Romero was waiting at the disembarkation deck for early risers who wanted to hike up to the top of Bartolome Island. This was an extraordinary walk that transported us back in time right to the beginning of it all in the Galapagos. In the afternoon, we explored the waters of Sombrero Chino Island. Our guests saw many tropical fish and the elusive Galapagos penguin up close. It was a wonderful experience in yet another beautiful location. Later in the afternoon, we went exploring with our Zodiacs and spotted several penguins fishing along with blue-footed boobies and pelicans.
Guests onboard National Geographic Endeavour II spent the day exploring Santa Cruz Island. We began with a hike at Cerro Dragon on the northern facing side of Santa Cruz. This region is extremely dry due to the influence of the southeast trade winds. These winds make their way up the western side of the South American continent, deflecting to the west at the equator and finally meeting the southern facing side of the Galapagos Islands. These trade winds bring moisture, which allows vegetation to grow. Cerro Dragon is an interesting site to observe. Galapagos iguanas have evolved to thrive in disparate ecosystems; in ecology, we refer to this as niche partitioning. Marine iguanas are seen in the intertidal zone, where they find their main food source: green algae. Conversely, land iguanas predominantly feed upon cactus pads and fruits. As such, they are found throughout the inner, drier regions of the central islands. Marine iguanas lay their eggs on the sandy coastlines of the archipelago, whereas land iguanas lay their eggs farther inland. This partitioning of niches within the ecosystem reduces the rate of competition amongst iguana species, and therefore, reduces the probability of one iguana species outcompeting and displacing another. This promotes diversity in a group of genetically similar species. Guests were pleased to observe both marine and land iguanas at this special site. We also walked through a dry forest, where we observed several endemic and native plant species. The coastal lowlands of the islands are home to a disproportionate amount of endemic plant species. These zones are probably the harshest environment in the Galapagos, so species that thrive there must be highly adapted to dry, salty conditions. This promotes endemism. We visited a brackish lagoon at Cerro Dragon, where we were delighted to spot flamingos. These birds are some of the rarest in the archipelago, with only around 200 across the islands. The pink coloration of their plumage is a result of the carotenoids found in their food source. We observed a juvenile flamingo as well. Baby flamingos are born with a straight beak so they can be fed by their parents. It takes some time for them to build up the carotenoids in their body to create pink plumage. After our hike, guests had the option of visiting a beautiful beach for bay snorkeling or Guy Fawkes Islet for deep water snorkeling. After lunch, we disembarked for several excursions, including: kayaking, paddleboarding, or a Zodiac cruise along the coast of Borrero in northern Santa Cruz Island. Photo caption and photographer: A flamingo feeds in a brackish lagoon at Cerro Dragon. Flamingos feed primarily on small crustaceans, but they also eat a variety of algae species as well. They have a filter system in their beaks that allows them to siphon out their desired prey species. Photo by Cristian Villarroel
Today we visited the central area of Galapagos. We started early in the morning on the south side of Santa Cruz Island, with a surface area of almost 1000 sq km. One of four inhabited islands, Santa Cruz has the largest human population at an estimated 25,000 people. After an energizing breakfast, we were ready to leave the ship to spend the whole day exploring the island. We landed on the dock of Puerto Ayora and boarded buses to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station and learn all about the breeding center for giant tortoises. Later on, we had the opportunity to see some of the everyday lives of the Galapagos people as we walked along the town’s streets to the fish market. Afterwards, we visited a farm known as “Trapiche” in the highlands. We learned about the sugarcane process, tasted the local moonshine, and heard about coffee production in the archipelago. Driving through farming areas and the cattle ranches of Santa Cruz before lunch, we spotted some Galapagos giant tortoises along the way. Soon, we reached a private property owned by a local Galapagueños family: “El Manzanillo Reserve.” In this place, visitors can watch the giants resting peacefully as they are completely fearless. After a very special lunch, we got to explore and learned about one of the most successful and iconic populations, the dome-shaped tortoises. They are one of the largest species of the magnificent reptiles. Today’s visit was outstanding!
