Galapagos

About 1,000 miles west of mainland Ecuador lies its unique province 97% of which protected from any use except tourism and science since 1959.
It is where Charles Darwin stayed for 5 weeks during the survey voyage of the HMS Beagle and which stimulated his eventual theories of
Natural Adaptation and Evolution. Initially his observations started with 5 mockingbird species, each unique to different islands. Then
back onboard he studied the Beagle captain's collection of 13 finches from different islands. It was the finches' varying shaped and sized beaks
that became the final catalysts for his life's work. On our voyage, we were lectured by the Pulitzer-Prize winning author of The Beak of the Finch
and his wife who wrote Charles and Emma (Darwin). The National Geographic / Lindblad tour was terrific and their naturalists were the best ever!
To see the Blue-Footed, Red-Footed, and Nazca Boobies and other islands, go to Galapagos Part 2! Or view Quito,
Bellavista Cloud Forest, Amazon Basin jungle at Napo, and still-active Avenue of the Volcanoes.



(Above Far L) View of the San Cristobal port where we boarded the cruise ship. (Above L) The 95-passenger Endeavor became our home for a week, traveling from east to south to north and back. (Above L C) Looking out our porthole to see where our 1st Zodiac trip would take us: the southern tip of San Cristobal island where the rock is actually Tuff, meaning compressed volcanic dust. (Above R C) Tuff erodes through cracks to form arches and (Above R) eventually stand-alone columns or (Above Far R) other interesting formations like Kicker Island which looks like a soccer boot, right?


Endemic or native to the Galapagos are the world's only Marine Iguanas. Totally black (Above L) when young, they (Above C) become mottled red at maturity. And they become more social, (Above R) often gathering in rugby-like scrums to get warm in the sun. When courting, they add green to their skin so are nicknamed "Christmas Iguanas."		California Sea Lions populate all the islands, breeding and living in colonies, but are smaller than their mainland cousins. (Above L) A pup looks up at the camera while nursing. (Above C) 2 adults rest before food-hunting. (Above R) One comments on the day's sunset.


Totally endemic animals: (Above Far L) Brown Noddy birds; (Above L) Lava Lizard; (Above L C) Lava Gull; (Above R C) Red-Beaked Tropic Bird with an antenna-like tail that adds real grace to its flight; (Above R) the Galapagos Hawk eyes its lunch in the water then (Above Far R) soars and swoops to get it.



(Above L & R) Two of the five mockingbird species endemic only to the Galapagos.	(Above) Lava Heron	(Above L & R) Sally Lightfoot Crabs are black when young then become gloriously colorful at maturity.	(Above) Brown Pelicans are visitors here.


The Waved Albatross visits Espanola Island to court, mate (for life), breed and raise youngsters. They are the Galapagos' largest flying birds but which technically don't fly, just take off from cliffs to soar then land awkwardly. (Above Far L & L) Parents click-clack their beaks, bob their heads, and squawk alternatively as part of their mating ritual. (Above L C) Their eggs are as large as one would expect to birth (Above R C) chicks that are pudgy, fluffy and always hungry. (Above R) The Waved Albatross' flight is beautiful. Both parents hunt for food and (Above Far R) feed the chicks. They eat the food then before regurgitating, their stomachs add an oil that helps the chick grow healthy.


Founded in 1959 in parallel with the Galapagos National Park Service (GNPS) and the province's protected status, (Above Far L) the Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS) is dedicated to ensuring that animals within the park are protected in multiple ways. E.G., they breed depleted species and help GNPS rid the island of human-introduced predators, like now-feral dogs, cats, goats, pigs, donkeys and of course, rats and mice. Giant Tortoises have been especially vulnerable for centuries since sailors took them for meat onboard whaling, military, or pirate ships. Hence, (Above L) Lonesome George is the last of his sub-species from Pinta Island--sadly with no interest in the ladies, while other islands' endangered tortoises (Above L C & R C) have been breeding nicely in captivity. But one must admit that these venerable creatures (Above R & Far R) definitely look related to dinosaurs.


Of the Galapagos Province's 3% not protected by the National Park, there are some farmers. On Santa Cruz Island, we visited one small sugar cane plantation operating with early 1900s equipment. (Above Far L) The family donkey turns the sugar can press to squeeze out the juice, which is converted either to (Above L) molasses or (Above L C) cane liquor, like rum (Moonshine!). The owner demonstrates the liquor's high alcohol content by the tossing a cupful onto the fire powering his still. From the plantation, we went into Punta Ayora (Above R) for viewing the harbor, shopping and lunch. At the lodge where we all ate lunch, here's 1 of the 2 Barn Owls (Above Far R) in the restroom there. He may have been a voyeur...


After lunch on Santa Cruz Island, we visited with Giant Tortoises "in the wild" who are allowed to rest, migrate across, and eat in the fields of some farmers who are reimbursed by the GNPS to allow access (Above Far L to Center) to these huge tortoises as well as tourists who track them. We also visited Cerro Dragon, which is Hill of the Dragon aka Galapagos Land Iguana (Above Center to Far R). We followed them up the hill, admired their handsome visage, and were saddened to hear how the feral dogs particularly seek these Iguanas for food. The Park Service has been working for years to rid all the islands of the nasty feral predators.