Day 10 - Santa Cruz Island

 

Map of area

We did 2 excursions on Santa Cruz, the second largest island in the archipelago. In the morning we visited the Charles Darwin Research Centre in Puerta Ayora where we saw Giant Tortoises that have been rescued from the wild, those that were originally pets, until it became illegal to own one. They also have an extensive breeding program, as per the one on Isabela and these tortoises will be rewilded when they are old enough. We saw a group of male Giant Tortoises that are all over 100 years old.


Giant Tortoises aged between 100 and 120 years


Entrance to Charles Darwin Research Centre

Giant Tortoise behind wall

Giant Tortoise

Male Giant Tortoises 

Giant Saddleback Tortoises

Giant  Saddleback Tortoises



Giant Tortoise

Giant Tortoise

Giant Tortoise

Giant Tortoise

Giant Tortoise

Giant Tortoise

Giant Tortoise

One unexpected highlight was a visit to see Lonesome George. Although he died in 2012 his body was taken to a taxidermist in New York to as be preserved and it was originally on show in the citys Natural History museum but has now been brought back to the Galapagos and is on display at this centre.





We walked back into the town of Puerta Ayora and had a look around and then went back to the boat for lunch.


Sculpture made with plastic found in the seas around Galapagos

Our guide, Gio, with the days food for the tortoises

Sea Lions in the town

Statue in town

Fish Market - notice heron and pelican trying their luck

Ruddy Turnstone

Fish Market where a Pelican flew to the 
wall while I was taking the photo

 
Giant Tortoise, over 100 years old
climbing into a pond.

 

Giant Tortoise Feeding Time

After lunch we went back to Puerta Ayora and were taken by bus to the highlands to see Giant Tortoises in the wild at a special nature reserve. We also saw a lot on the way to the centre as they were in fields at the side of the road and we even saw one in the middle of the road (traffic all stopped for him). We walked around the reserve and saw many wild Giant Tortoises and a few birds.


Giant Tortoise in the wild

Giant Tortoise in the wild

Giant Tortoise in the wild

Giant Tortoise in the wild

Galapagos Moorhen

Giant Tortoise in the wild

Galapagos Moorhens

Later we visited a Lava Tunnel, which was a bit like a cave but formed during a volcanic eruption.


Lava Tunnel

Lava Tunnel

Lava Tunnel

Lava Tunnel

Lava Tunnel


We had some free time in the town of Puerta Ayora before coming back to the boat for our last evening meal.


The Solaris from Puerta Ayora

Church in the town

Town Hall

Street in town




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