Santa Cruz Island
Passing through town on our way to the tortoise rearing centre of the Galápagos National Park, operated with sound advice from the Charles Darwin Research Station, opened our eyes to the presence of humans in the archipelago. It is easy to forget there are people who make a living and reside in the islands. So easy to forget them when faced with sea lions underwater, albatross flying overhead and iguanas basking on rocks.
The giant tortoise of the Galápagos Islands is our most renowned animal, emblematic of these volcanic isles, so it is important that everyone learn what has been involved in keeping them alive, keeping their populations viable. Some populations have been reduced to a mere handful, but we know they can return from the brink because we have seen it happen before, genetic bottleneck or not.
In the corrals at the centre it is possible to compare the shell (carapace) shapes from different islands, but once in the highlands of Santa Cruz, the huge domed giants were in their element – soaking in a pond filled with Azolla, the water fern. A couple (of tortoises) were even located by the sounds they were making. These sounds are unique and unmistakable, made only when the tortoises are doing their best to make more tortoises.
A “Galápagos” day in its full meaning, since the word “Galápagos” was first applied to a riding saddle used by the early Spaniards. On seeing the giant tortoises here with a carapace similar to the saddle, they were named “Galápagos” as well. And it means so much more now.
Passing through town on our way to the tortoise rearing centre of the Galápagos National Park, operated with sound advice from the Charles Darwin Research Station, opened our eyes to the presence of humans in the archipelago. It is easy to forget there are people who make a living and reside in the islands. So easy to forget them when faced with sea lions underwater, albatross flying overhead and iguanas basking on rocks.
The giant tortoise of the Galápagos Islands is our most renowned animal, emblematic of these volcanic isles, so it is important that everyone learn what has been involved in keeping them alive, keeping their populations viable. Some populations have been reduced to a mere handful, but we know they can return from the brink because we have seen it happen before, genetic bottleneck or not.
In the corrals at the centre it is possible to compare the shell (carapace) shapes from different islands, but once in the highlands of Santa Cruz, the huge domed giants were in their element – soaking in a pond filled with Azolla, the water fern. A couple (of tortoises) were even located by the sounds they were making. These sounds are unique and unmistakable, made only when the tortoises are doing their best to make more tortoises.
A “Galápagos” day in its full meaning, since the word “Galápagos” was first applied to a riding saddle used by the early Spaniards. On seeing the giant tortoises here with a carapace similar to the saddle, they were named “Galápagos” as well. And it means so much more now.
