This week we went to one of the least visited sites on Santa Cruz, called El Chato Tortoise Reserve. This area is beloved by naturalists for both its importance for conservation and for its beauty. There is exuberant vegetation and a wonderful little lagoon at El Chato, and this afternoon we spotted several birds we have not seen recently. These included a large group of white-cheeked pintail ducks and a purple gallinule, a beautiful water bird that is rarely seen.
Best of all was the chance to observe six of the amazing, endemic tortoises in the wild. To find tortoises at this time of the year in the highlands is quite unusual, as by March most have migrated down to the lower areas of Santa Cruz to breed. These unique creatures are among the most representative of the archipelago; the islands were named after them. Even after many years of guiding in Galapagos, these majestic creatures continue to give us the same impression: they are awesome. What a wonderful day!
