Today we anchored in Academy Bay. Here we found Puerto Ayora, home of the Charles Darwin Research Station and the breeding center for Galapagos giant tortoises. This is also the island where we looked for Galapagos giant tortoises in the wild.
In the morning we walked into the breeding center and observed Galapagos giant tortoises in different stages as they are born and raised in captivity. By the age of four years old these tortoises will be sent to the wild. There they will grow up by themselves and will reproduce, helping to increase the population of these reptiles in the wild.
As we explored a bit more we also found some Galapagos land iguanas that are kept here and reproduced in semi-captivity. Along the trail we heard and observed Galapagos mockingbirds, yellow warblers, Darwin finches, and Galapagos fly catchers. In addition to all this we also marveled by the size and abundance of the giant prickly pear cactus which can grow more than twenty feet in height.
After our walk at the breeding center, we went to the town and after spending some time and money in the local shops, we took local buses and drove to a local farm up in the highlands. There we learned about the way they produce Arabica coffee, local alcohol, and other products with the sugar cane and coffee they grow in their farm and also got a look at the way they live.
At the end of the morning we left the farm, and got on to our buses and headed to a local restaurant where we had lunch while being surrounded by green vegetation in a unique place. As we left the restaurant, we drove to a nearby farm where Galapagos giant tortoises are found in the wild. These reptiles are the emblem of Galapagos and inhabit regions that usually have little or no access at all. For us is a once in a lifetime experience to be able to see them walking, sleeping, eating and experience their magnificent presence.
We returned from the highlands at the end of the afternoon and returned aboard after a great day on Santa Cruz Island.
