Santa Cruz Island & Sombrero Chino
Santa Cruz is the second largest island in the group of the Galápagos, and home to the Galápagos National Park and Charles Darwin Research Station. These are the chief institutions that work for conservation of endangered ecosystems in the islands.
Early in the morning we disembarked and explored the north side of Santa Cruz, namely “Dragon Hill”, a large land iguana colony. As we explored this side of the island we found ourselves surrounded by green vegetation, lush Palo Santo trees and other typical vegetation of the place, grasshoppers and finches to mention a few. The islands are particularly green due to this year’s heavy rainy season. With so much life it actually seems a jungle region glowing with life, especially insects and land birds.
Dragon Hill has a colony of large yellow land iguanas that a few decades ago were at the verge of extinction due to the presence of alien species. Large herbivores such as donkeys and goats roamed freely on the island competing over food resources and the harmful effects of the notorious feral pigs and dogs were reflected on the meager population of this emblematic reptiles.
Today Dragon Hill is a highlight of Santa Cruz with a healthy population of land iguanas and regenerated vegetation thanks to the efforts of the Galápagos National Park and Darwin Station personnel.
In the afternoon we repositioned the National Geographic Polaris off Santiago Island and shortly afterwards we headed to the shore of Sombrero Chino for a variety of activities such as kayaking, snorkeling and Zodiac rides.
The snorkeling was superb! The ocean in the Galápagos is teeming with life of all types including penguins chasing fish, trying to get the last meal of the day. We were surrounded by tropical fish from the beginning to the end.
At the end of the day in the calm shallow water around Sombrero Chino we had a stunning encounter with nearly a dozen Galápagos penguins resting on shore, ready to settle for the night.
Just amazing can’t wait for more!
Santa Cruz is the second largest island in the group of the Galápagos, and home to the Galápagos National Park and Charles Darwin Research Station. These are the chief institutions that work for conservation of endangered ecosystems in the islands.
Early in the morning we disembarked and explored the north side of Santa Cruz, namely “Dragon Hill”, a large land iguana colony. As we explored this side of the island we found ourselves surrounded by green vegetation, lush Palo Santo trees and other typical vegetation of the place, grasshoppers and finches to mention a few. The islands are particularly green due to this year’s heavy rainy season. With so much life it actually seems a jungle region glowing with life, especially insects and land birds.
Dragon Hill has a colony of large yellow land iguanas that a few decades ago were at the verge of extinction due to the presence of alien species. Large herbivores such as donkeys and goats roamed freely on the island competing over food resources and the harmful effects of the notorious feral pigs and dogs were reflected on the meager population of this emblematic reptiles.
Today Dragon Hill is a highlight of Santa Cruz with a healthy population of land iguanas and regenerated vegetation thanks to the efforts of the Galápagos National Park and Darwin Station personnel.
In the afternoon we repositioned the National Geographic Polaris off Santiago Island and shortly afterwards we headed to the shore of Sombrero Chino for a variety of activities such as kayaking, snorkeling and Zodiac rides.
The snorkeling was superb! The ocean in the Galápagos is teeming with life of all types including penguins chasing fish, trying to get the last meal of the day. We were surrounded by tropical fish from the beginning to the end.
At the end of the day in the calm shallow water around Sombrero Chino we had a stunning encounter with nearly a dozen Galápagos penguins resting on shore, ready to settle for the night.
Just amazing can’t wait for more!
