Santa Cruz Island
The Galápagos giant tortoises that roam in this paradisiacal archipelago give their name to the islands. At the same time, these majestic creatures constitute the most emblematic animal species not only for this enchanted group of islands, but for Ecuador. In one way or another, these prehistoric-looking reptiles have put my country on the map. The recent history of these gentle giants is unfortunately not a very appealing one. Thousands of them were taken away from the islands to be used as food. We will never know how many of them were removed by the passing by early visitors. At this point you can start thinking: Why were there removed? We can summarize an answer to this question in two facts. First, in the last centuries the Galápagos Islands did not have any kind of protection, they were no-man’s land. Second, a terrible fact, the giant tortoises can survive for up to two years without eating or drinking. They were transported alive in the ships of buccaneers, pirates, whalers, sealers, etc. as an alternative source of fresh food. In times when refrigerators were still far from being invented, sadly the tortoises became a popular, abundant and copious food to be exploited without mercy.
Nowadays, the giant tortoises in Galápagos are living a golden age. We are not destroying them anymore; we are helping to restore their lost dynasty little by little. One of the programs that deeply attract our visitors for its magnificence is the incubation and later return of baby tortoises to their different islands of origin. Thousands of new tortoises have been “repatriated” already. In the picture of today you can see the commotion created in a group of baby tortoises when they are fed. While watching them, I can not help but dream that one day they will grow to be giants in their home islands; they will reproduce and will pass away in peace, in communion with a clean environment. This dream is not far from coming true. Titanic and remarkable efforts have been made and are taking place in this very moment to save these wonderful reptiles.
The Galápagos giant tortoises that roam in this paradisiacal archipelago give their name to the islands. At the same time, these majestic creatures constitute the most emblematic animal species not only for this enchanted group of islands, but for Ecuador. In one way or another, these prehistoric-looking reptiles have put my country on the map. The recent history of these gentle giants is unfortunately not a very appealing one. Thousands of them were taken away from the islands to be used as food. We will never know how many of them were removed by the passing by early visitors. At this point you can start thinking: Why were there removed? We can summarize an answer to this question in two facts. First, in the last centuries the Galápagos Islands did not have any kind of protection, they were no-man’s land. Second, a terrible fact, the giant tortoises can survive for up to two years without eating or drinking. They were transported alive in the ships of buccaneers, pirates, whalers, sealers, etc. as an alternative source of fresh food. In times when refrigerators were still far from being invented, sadly the tortoises became a popular, abundant and copious food to be exploited without mercy.
Nowadays, the giant tortoises in Galápagos are living a golden age. We are not destroying them anymore; we are helping to restore their lost dynasty little by little. One of the programs that deeply attract our visitors for its magnificence is the incubation and later return of baby tortoises to their different islands of origin. Thousands of new tortoises have been “repatriated” already. In the picture of today you can see the commotion created in a group of baby tortoises when they are fed. While watching them, I can not help but dream that one day they will grow to be giants in their home islands; they will reproduce and will pass away in peace, in communion with a clean environment. This dream is not far from coming true. Titanic and remarkable efforts have been made and are taking place in this very moment to save these wonderful reptiles.
