Today we spent the day exploring the island of Santa Cruz. One of the four inhabited islands in Galapagos, Santa Cruz actually has the largest human population and is considered the economic hub of the province. Guests spent the morning visiting and learning about the conservation efforts at the giant tortoise breeding center at the Charles Darwin Research Station in Puerto Ayora.
We spent the afternoon searching for Santa Cruz giant tortoises in the wild, in the highlands. In our search for these reptiles, we found by surprise a few species of lichens growing on very humid logs, and we took the opportunity to talk about organisms that are difficult to understand. We ended our afternoon exploring a lava cave, one of the most amazing volcanic features found in these Islands.
To close our day, we had live music onboard National Geographic Endeavour II, where we had the opportunity to appreciate music and dance by local musicians and dancers.
