Santa Cruz Island
Today was time to visit the world-renowned research center that is named after the most famous visitor Galápagos has ever received – the English naturalist that changed modern historical thinking in the nineteenth century, and the way we see the world around us. The Charles Darwin Research Station has been working for around forty years despite obstacles to preserve the most enigmatic of the creatures in the Galápagos: the giant tortoises. We observed how giant tortoises have been preserved from certain extinction, caused by man and predation by introduced animals, by a breeding in captivity program that lasts until they reach five years and are then repatriated back to their home islands. That is the case of the Española giant tortoises, well known as a saddleback variety because they evolved in such a dry environment; where only twelve females and two remaining males were found in the seventies, left over from a population that was once plentiful. These individuals, roaming on their own over the small island, had zero breeding success due to densities that were just too low: they were therefore taken to the research station to begin a long and successful program. Later on, a male from the same species was found in the San Diego zoo and joined the small group very successfully, becoming the proud procreator of over half of the fourteen hundred baby tortoises that have since been repatriated to Española.
Hopes are also rising to find a mate for the last known tortoise individual from Pinta Island: Lonesome George, a search that has been going on since he was first discovered alone on his island. A member of his same species has apparently been found on another island, possibly dropped there by sailors, unfortunately a male too – but there may be others!
In the afternoon, after a worthwhile workout (hiking, walking, jogging and biking) on our way to a restaurant in the highlands and a comforting lunch, we explored the unique Galápagos highlands cloud forest searching for land birds and giant tortoises in the wild - the very same conditions and behaviors whalers observed over two hundred years ago! Some of the tortoises seemed to be literally posing for pictures as they waited to be cleaned by small land birds that remove their external parasites. We left the giant tortoise territory behind, covered by the mist, and headed back to town and then to the ship. The evening was filled with recap time and a musical surprise for our guests.
Today was time to visit the world-renowned research center that is named after the most famous visitor Galápagos has ever received – the English naturalist that changed modern historical thinking in the nineteenth century, and the way we see the world around us. The Charles Darwin Research Station has been working for around forty years despite obstacles to preserve the most enigmatic of the creatures in the Galápagos: the giant tortoises. We observed how giant tortoises have been preserved from certain extinction, caused by man and predation by introduced animals, by a breeding in captivity program that lasts until they reach five years and are then repatriated back to their home islands. That is the case of the Española giant tortoises, well known as a saddleback variety because they evolved in such a dry environment; where only twelve females and two remaining males were found in the seventies, left over from a population that was once plentiful. These individuals, roaming on their own over the small island, had zero breeding success due to densities that were just too low: they were therefore taken to the research station to begin a long and successful program. Later on, a male from the same species was found in the San Diego zoo and joined the small group very successfully, becoming the proud procreator of over half of the fourteen hundred baby tortoises that have since been repatriated to Española.
Hopes are also rising to find a mate for the last known tortoise individual from Pinta Island: Lonesome George, a search that has been going on since he was first discovered alone on his island. A member of his same species has apparently been found on another island, possibly dropped there by sailors, unfortunately a male too – but there may be others!
In the afternoon, after a worthwhile workout (hiking, walking, jogging and biking) on our way to a restaurant in the highlands and a comforting lunch, we explored the unique Galápagos highlands cloud forest searching for land birds and giant tortoises in the wild - the very same conditions and behaviors whalers observed over two hundred years ago! Some of the tortoises seemed to be literally posing for pictures as they waited to be cleaned by small land birds that remove their external parasites. We left the giant tortoise territory behind, covered by the mist, and headed back to town and then to the ship. The evening was filled with recap time and a musical surprise for our guests.
