Santa Cruz Island, 3/5/2024, National Geographic Endeavour II
Aboard the
National Geographic Endeavour II
Galápagos
Santa Cruz Island is the second largest inhabited island in the Galapagos Archipelago. Our day was filled with excitement as we visited the Breeding Center for Galapagos Giant Tortoises and observed the local farming practices, gaining insight into the island's culture.
In the afternoon we had the pleasure of searching for wild Galapagos giant tortoises under the beautiful, sunny, and warm weather.
Gilda was born in Ambato, located in the very heart of the Ecuadorian Andes. Since she was a child, she loved animals, often rescuing street cats and dogs. Her parents always made sure there were nature books and plenty of Jacques Cousteau’s videos a...
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Today we visited North Seymour Island, a small, 1.7-square-km uplifted landmass. The island is home to various species of marine birds, including the frigates and blue-footed boobies nesting in the area. The Galapagos National Park has put forth significant effort to control the number of introduced species. We admired the results of their successful conservation efforts. On Rabida, we spent the afternoon on the beach. We enjoyed our first snorkeling opportunity of the expedition. We observed groups of playful Galapagos sea lions, sea turtles, and a large variety of colorful fish. After snorkeling, we went on a walk along the beach, where we encountered a group of American flamingos nesting by a coastal brackish water lagoon. What an amazing adventure exploring the Galapagos!
We visited the northern island of Genovesa today. This island is a bird paradise; it is estimated that more than a million birds live here! We visited Darwin Bay and Prince Philip’s Steps. We were fascinated by the tameness of the seabirds, including Nazca and red-footed boobies, great frigatebirds, swallow-tailed gulls, storm petrels, Galapagos doves, Galapagos mockingbirds, and the elusive short-eared owl! Genovesa Island gave us a feeling of freedom and the gift of being part of nature and the Galapagos. Our beautiful planet Earth is worth protecting!
An early morning hike to the top of Bartolome Island brought us amazing encounters, starting with Galapagos penguins and bottlenose dolphins. These remarkable sights energized us to enjoy the beautiful unique landscapes and local species of the central islands of the Galapagos. Throughout the day, we explored by land and sea, engaging in different activities full of life and beauty. Once again, another unforgettable day in paradise!