Galapagos 2014 - Isla Santa Cruz

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ratsnakehaven
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Galapagos 2014 - Isla Santa Cruz

Post by ratsnakehaven »

We leave the ship on Zodiacs and land at the main port on Santa Cruz...
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A view of the port...
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The town...
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Visiting the Charles Darwin Research Station on the island...
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Heading to the pens where they keep the giant tortoises...
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This sign explains what they're doing with the baby tortoises...
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Baby tortoise pen...
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Young tortoises with numbers on their shells for i.d....
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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...
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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...
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Jeff Lemm
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Re: Galapagos 2014 - Isla Santa Cruz

Post by Jeff Lemm »

Very cool RSH - apparently we were there about the same time!
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ratsnakehaven
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Re: Galapagos 2014 - Isla Santa Cruz

Post by ratsnakehaven »

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...
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mfb
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Re: Galapagos 2014 - Isla Santa Cruz

Post by mfb »

Wonderful! I also really enjoyed the lava lizard post.

Haven't made it to the Galapagos yet, but it is on my bucket list.
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ratsnakehaven
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Re: Galapagos 2014 - Isla Santa Cruz

Post by ratsnakehaven »

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 8-)
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Fieldnotes
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Re: Galapagos 2014 - Isla Santa Cruz

Post by Fieldnotes »

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
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