Writing about my first visit to the Galapagos islands is quite difficult - I don't know where to begin, which of the many wonders of nature takes precedence over the others...
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
Mother is feeding her baby
|
|
San Cristobal.
This island has 558 square kilometers and its highest point is 730 meters. The capital of the island is Baquerizo Moreno, which is also the province capital. More than 5000 people live here and here you can find hotels and restaurants.One hour by boat from Baquerizo Moreno is the island Isla Lobos. Here lives a colony of sea lions and blue footed boobies.
The island of Española is the most southern of the Galapagos Islands. It is 60 square kilometers, with the highest point at 206 meters. It is the oldest island, more than 3.4 million years old. Here you can find a wide variety of bird species. Galapagos albatross nest here from the end of March until the beginning of December.We started the day with a four hour hike across Española´s rocky terrain. Sealion families sprawled sleepily across the paths.We saw red Marine Iguanas, that have caused a lot of debate among scientists as to how they get their red colour.
And then we saw Galapagos Albatrosses. They have an amazing ability to swap cerebral hemispheres in order to keep awake and alert 24 hours a day, every day.We where explained that they use on half of the brain while the other half rested, and then when the first half is tired, they swap over and use the other half. Wouldn´t it be great if we could do that?!
Albatrosses lay one large egg each year. They sit on the egg for 23 days and then swap with the other partner until the egg is hatched. Then they take turns to go hunting to feed it - what a politically correct bird. Its important for the Albatrosses to leave Española by December as the wind and the food sources change and they would not be able to survive if they stayed. That means the pressures on for the newly born chicks to grow up quick, as they need to fly with their parents. The chicks sometimes have less than four months to learn to fly as come December,
|
|
| Favourite spots: |
|
San Cristobal and Lobos, Espanola, Floreana, Isabela and Santa Cruz.
|
|
| What's really great: |
|
I''ll think everything we have seen on the islands!!
|
|
| Accommodations: |
|
It is a lot of walking but a enjoy every step
|
|
| Other recommendations: |
|
The Charles Darwin Research Station is located in Puerto Ayora. Here many initiatives are taken to preserve and restore flora and fauna on the Galapagos Islands. The foundation was started in 1958, and the research station is part of that foundation. In the research station you can find the incubator for different turtle eggs and the famous Lonesome George, last of its specie.
|
|
Published on Saturday January 2th, 2010
|
|
Publish on Facebook
|
Sun, Dec 20 2015 - 05:44 PM
 by mistybleu
| An enjoyable read as I'm trying to plan a visit. |
Tue, Jan 05 2010 - 07:28 PM
by jorgesanchez
| Nice report but short, about a unique place in the world. |
Mon, Jan 04 2010 - 08:59 PM
by eirekay
| Bea, nice report on a place I plan to visit in the near future! I hope you expand on it as time goes by! |
Sun, Jan 03 2010 - 04:49 PM
by marianne
| Very nice reading and a beautiful photo |
Sun, Jan 03 2010 - 04:23 AM
 by jacko1
| I enoyed this report, so much that I found it a little short but well written and informative, well done Bea. |
| Information: |
| Login if you are a member, or sign up for a free membership to rate this report and to earn globo points! |
|
| Ecuador |
|
|
|
| Netherlands Antilles |
|
|
|
|
