Santa Cruz Island
Early in the morning we woke up with the wonderful view of Puerto Ayora. After we disembarked, we went to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS) and its famous giant tortoise rearing centre. This simple but beautifully managed facility is handled by the CDRS in conjunction with the Galápagos National Park Service. Thousands of giant tortoises have been repatriated to their islands of origin in the last decades after being incubated in the Centre. These titanic efforts well deserve our admiration for they have recovered the once vanishing populations of giant tortoises in many islands. Individual giant tortoises like “Lonesome George” and “Diego” have become ambassadors and messengers of conservation.
While our guests were at the CDRS I had a different and exciting assignment: being the host of thirty-six children and three teachers that came onboard. They were from Puerto Ayora’s Galo Plaza elementary school. The happiness of these children was obvious and contagious. For many of them it was the first time they were onboard a ship! After a tour around the National Geographic Polaris we gathered at the ship’s main lounge. We had an interactive session of questions and answers about nature. The children were very interested in the sea life, especially sharks. It was a joy to answer all the questions they had. After having a brunch of pizza, ice cream and soft drinks they disembarked the ship. Their smiles and eagerness to learn were certainly touching. I can not help but think about how many of these kids will become officers, naturalists, and biologists influenced by this short but meaningful visit. The more these children can learn about their islands, the more love and appreciation they can feel for their home, the better and brighter will be their own future living in this paradise. The future of the Galápagos, including the giant tortoises is, largely, in their hands.
In the afternoon we saw the giant tortoises into a very different perspective. These antediluvian-looking reptiles wandered slowly through the grasses in the highlands of Santa Cruz. The tortoises were avidly absorbing the constant garua mist that accompanied us during most of the afternoon’s expedition. After dinner local musicians and dancers provided a cheerful golden finale for this day. A day that was dedicated both to the vibrant future generations of the Galápagos and to the magnificent giant tortoises, namesake of this magical archipelago.
Early in the morning we woke up with the wonderful view of Puerto Ayora. After we disembarked, we went to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS) and its famous giant tortoise rearing centre. This simple but beautifully managed facility is handled by the CDRS in conjunction with the Galápagos National Park Service. Thousands of giant tortoises have been repatriated to their islands of origin in the last decades after being incubated in the Centre. These titanic efforts well deserve our admiration for they have recovered the once vanishing populations of giant tortoises in many islands. Individual giant tortoises like “Lonesome George” and “Diego” have become ambassadors and messengers of conservation.
While our guests were at the CDRS I had a different and exciting assignment: being the host of thirty-six children and three teachers that came onboard. They were from Puerto Ayora’s Galo Plaza elementary school. The happiness of these children was obvious and contagious. For many of them it was the first time they were onboard a ship! After a tour around the National Geographic Polaris we gathered at the ship’s main lounge. We had an interactive session of questions and answers about nature. The children were very interested in the sea life, especially sharks. It was a joy to answer all the questions they had. After having a brunch of pizza, ice cream and soft drinks they disembarked the ship. Their smiles and eagerness to learn were certainly touching. I can not help but think about how many of these kids will become officers, naturalists, and biologists influenced by this short but meaningful visit. The more these children can learn about their islands, the more love and appreciation they can feel for their home, the better and brighter will be their own future living in this paradise. The future of the Galápagos, including the giant tortoises is, largely, in their hands.
In the afternoon we saw the giant tortoises into a very different perspective. These antediluvian-looking reptiles wandered slowly through the grasses in the highlands of Santa Cruz. The tortoises were avidly absorbing the constant garua mist that accompanied us during most of the afternoon’s expedition. After dinner local musicians and dancers provided a cheerful golden finale for this day. A day that was dedicated both to the vibrant future generations of the Galápagos and to the magnificent giant tortoises, namesake of this magical archipelago.
