August 3 2013
"Santa Cruz is the second largest island in the
Galapagos
and home to Puerto Ayora (the largest town in
the islands.)
In 1959, the Ecuadorian government declared all
the islands,
except areas already colonized, as a national
park. In the
same year, the Charles Darwin Foundation was
established
to promote scientific research and ensure the
conservation of
the Galapagos. In 1992 the waters surrounding the Galapagos
were declared a marine reserve."
This morning we visited the Charles Darwin
Station with
the giant tortoise breeding center. The
breeding center was
established because the giant tortoise
population had diminished
almost to extinction.
It has been successful and they are now
repatriating the islands
with their native tortoises. Each island's
tortoise is unique to that
island so they had to put males and females
from same island
together.
Two males and 12 females were brought from the
island of Isabella.
But the males were not getting the job done. So
they went looking for
a giant tortoise that had come from that
island. In 1905 one was removed
to the San Diego zoo. In the 1970's
"Little Diego," was returned to the
Galapagos Charles Darwin Station and put in the
corral with the other
tortoises from Isabella. He quickly taught the
males what was required
of them. We saw Little Diego. He and his
friends have added some
1500 giant tortoises to the population. They
think most have been
Little Diego who is well over 100 years old.
They are keeping a few of the giant tortoises
at the station because
all visitors are not able to see them in the
wild.
We walked back to the pier and I bought too
many souvenirs. My
menagerie is growing.
