We landed in Puerto Ayora, and had to compete with sleeping sea lions to get onto the docks and up to the street.
Helpful maps lay out the town, so that visitors don't get lost and accidentally stay? I know I would have.....
Nearing the Center, we saw this cemetery. I'm not a fan of cemeteries, but I really liked this "window" in the walls.
The tortoise and the hammerhead are the symbols of Galápagos. I liked this icon.
There are three types of cactus found in Galápagos: candelabra, lava, and prickly pear. This is prickly pear, and the tallest I have ever seen. We also saw lots of scalesia (in the sunflower and daisy family, but endemic to Galápagos), jerusalem thorn, and yellow cordia, whose fruit is also known as Gálapagos glue or Gálapagos hair gel. True!
Yup, we're officially there! Many scientists work here for the conservation of the incredible biota of the islands. The two largest projects for restoration involve the giant tortoises and the land iguanas. The Station works with the Galápagos National Park Service for island management.
This six-panel sign described some of the programs and projects underway at the Station. Yup, tons of work!
Yes, finches! They are everywhere here. Santa Cruz actually has nine of the eleven finch species. But getting them to be still long enough for photos.... I THINK this is a large ground finch. This day was overcast, warm and humid. It was really the first time in the islands that we'd felt humidity.
Lonesome George was the most famous resident at the Station. He was the last of the tortoises from Pinzon; with his death three weeks before we arrived, the Pinzon giant land tortoise is now extinct. The tortoises from each island -- and sometimes from different parts of an island, such as on Isabela, which originally was different islands surrounding the volcanoes and now is one large island -- are distinct and separate species. Experts can tell them apart by the scutes on their shells.
This enclosure had six large dome-shaped tortoises. It was breakfast time. But this one had a clear desire to be dominant.
He got this one to respond, mid-chew. You can see the leaf hanging from his mouth! You can also see how they not only extend their necks as far up as possible, but how they raise themselves as tall as they can on their legs too. Oh, and they hiss.
This is by the land iguanas. Were these kids excited! Especially when I pointed out the iguana -- which they'd missed on their first fly-by attempt. Preservation is a critical mission of the park and all folks working for the conservation and protection of the park. Their biggest challenge isn't tourism now -- much has changed in the last, oh, ten years, to improve tourism, through licenses, guides, limits, etc. -- but the local population. Getting people to understand the value of what they have and how to care for it, that's the tough part. So, just like we're starting to do at the museum, a large focus is being placed on kids and building for the future.
The sign commemorating Lonesome George. While he didn't ever have offspring we did see -- and hear! -- Super Diego mating in another enclosure. He apparently has about 1500 offspring, and is trying to repopulate his home island of Española on his own. Lonesome George's two female companions are still in the enclosure. His keeper had been with him for forty years. He's still at the Station, but, understandably, having a hard time.
Baby tortoises! The eggs are taken to the center with a very strict set of procedures. Once they hatch, the tortoises are moved to particular enclosures to begin their growing. They all get a number, and the numbers are color-coded for their island and place of origin. So, for example, all tortoises from Santa Cruz have pink numbers (I'm making that up because I didn't record the codes). As they get older, their pens change, giving them more interaction and more room. Once they reach about 5 or 6 years, when they are large enough to avoid most predators, they are returned to their islands to be endemic tortoises.
With my friend Yvonne. Yvonne and her husband Ed are from outside Baltimore and they were part of my group on the trip. They were truly great fun, and I really enjoyed their company. Yvonne was one of my snorkeling buddies too! Ed just sent me some pics, too, and he got a red-footed booby picture! We're hoping to meet for lunch soon.
After the Station we all strolled back out and down through the town, to where the buses were waiting to pick us up for the trip upland. On the way, we stopped at the fish market. Not because we were interested in the fish, but rather in those attentively keeping track of the fishmongers' every move.... These pelicans were pushy and would occasionally try to challenge the hands and knives to get at the tasty treats on the table.
On the back side, more pelicans. And, this sea lion, who had declined the large tuna head tossed below in the hopes that something more delicate would make it's way to his mouth. I thought it very funny that a marine iguana was parked in the center of this melee too (outside the range of the photo). He didn't care about the fish (he's an herbivore), so I guess he was just comfortable on the tiles.
One random note: while we were on the bus, we passed a gas station. Ecuador is a gasoline-exporting country, so there is a large subsidy on gasoline. For those of you who like to complain about the prices of gas in the States -- although I constantly remind you that you could live in England -- it was $1.45/gallon when we drove by.
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