Today we visited Puerto Ayora, the capital of tourism of the Galapagos Islands. Early in the morning, we stopped at the Galapagos National Park and the Charles Darwin Research Station headquarters. We learned about the conservation efforts to restore several species of giant tortoises, including the species from Floreana that to our surprise is coming back from extinction. The first batch of giant tortoise eggs from Floreana already hatched in January, and we were able to see the little ones in their corrals.
We also visited the Lonesome George exhibit, to learn about the consequences of species extinction, and finally, we observed Super Diego, a male giant tortoise from Española who has fathered more than 1000 offspring. What an inspiration for conservation!
In the afternoon, we traveled by bus to the highlands of Santa Cruz. First, we stopped at El Trapiche, a locally-owned farm, to hear about the cultivation of chocolate, coffee, and moonshine. We had a great time learning from this family enterprise.
Afterward, we travel to Aquelarre, where we had lunch surrounded by a beautiful setting and lush vegetation typical of the highlands. Finally, we went to El Chato II, a private farm, to observe one of the most numerous populations of giant tortoises in the wild, as well as to explore a lava tunnel.
