Santa Cruz Island is known to have the second largest population of Galapagos giant tortoises and the main breading center. The visit to the Charles Darwin Station, where we got to see some of the young tortoises that have been bred in captivity was particularly interesting because as we walked among the tortoises we got to learn how humans can restore ecosystems that have previously been impacted by us. Today we learned that the Galapagos National Park Service and the Charles Darwin Foundation are within the two most well-known conservation institutions of the planet, because by saving the giant tortoises from extinction they have basically saved most reptiles.
The walk along the main street of Puerto Ayora was interesting too, especially the fish market where a group of pelicans and a sea lion gathered around the fresh fish wanting to get an easy meal!
After lunch we boarded the buses and traveled to a farm known to be on the migratory route of these beautiful gentle giants and saw the area where they spend a good part of their long lives. They were everywhere we looked, there were so many that at a point we just lost count. Tortoises were grazing on the vegetation, some of them were walking around, and others were taking their afternoon nap. It was so amazing that we even got a chance to pick one and sit by their side to take pictures or just watch them closely.
After this wonderful experience we boarded the buses once again to go back to town… As we go, many of us are still thinking that these creatures and this experience would be very, very difficult to forget. It was a dream made real!
