We leave the ship on Zodiacs and land at the main port on Santa Cruz...
A view of the port...
The town...
Visiting the Charles Darwin Research Station on the island...
Heading to the pens where they keep the giant tortoises...
This sign explains what they're doing with the baby tortoises...
Baby tortoise pen...
Young tortoises with numbers on their shells for i.d....
Large tortoises there for breeding mostly. Usually they are released into the wild at about two to six years of age, I believe, or after their shells get to a safe size...
This saddle-back tortoise is Diego (from the San Diego Zoo) which is there for breeding purposes. I think the saddle-backs are the most endangered of the tortoises...
Galapagos 2014 - Isla Santa Cruz
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- ratsnakehaven
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Re: Galapagos 2014 - Isla Santa Cruz
Very cool RSH - apparently we were there about the same time!
- ratsnakehaven
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Re: Galapagos 2014 - Isla Santa Cruz
Thanks, Jeff. Do you know anything about the saddleback tortoise named, Diego, supposedly from the San Diego Zoo?
I just loved this giant prickly pear cactus from Santa Cruz Island....biggest I've ever seen, and grows like a tree...
I just loved this giant prickly pear cactus from Santa Cruz Island....biggest I've ever seen, and grows like a tree...
Re: Galapagos 2014 - Isla Santa Cruz
Wonderful! I also really enjoyed the lava lizard post.
Haven't made it to the Galapagos yet, but it is on my bucket list.
Haven't made it to the Galapagos yet, but it is on my bucket list.
- ratsnakehaven
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Re: Galapagos 2014 - Isla Santa Cruz
Thanks. It's a pretty cool place. The only thing is that most of the Galapagos is like a National Park and the country protects the habitat not allowing people to go into most of these areas. So you're restricted to the coast for the most part.
Terry
Terry
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Re: Galapagos 2014 - Isla Santa Cruz
Jeff Lemm wrote:Very cool RSH - apparently we were there about the same time!
Yeah right, everyone knows your trip took place from the couch in front the BooB-tube. Too bad you don't have field photos and a post to prove it. (or did I miss that post) hmmmmm