Day 41: Darwin Research Center (Galapagos Islands)

3/5/2017

Today was our first full day in the Galapagos! We woke up to Beautiful blue sky, which was a nice surprise. It's the hot and wet season here so we've been very unsure what the weather will be like. After breakfast we got ready for our first tour.

We met with three other people from the hotel, a family with a daughter a few years younger than me. Then, we set out for tortuga Bay. Here we walked out to the beach at Tortuga Bay that is known for the marine Iguanas. Ironic that it's named Tortuga Bay isn't it? On the beach we saw several marine iguanas and sand peckers. The marine Iguanas adapted to be able to swim to eat the algae on the rocks, and they even have teeth. They are also only found in the Galapagos. The sand pecker would run from waves, then stick it's beak in the sand, run back into the water, and then repeat. The beach was beautiful with blue skies and large waves. From tortuga Bay we went around the corner to another Bay that is secluded and protected from the waves. It's a popular local and tourist spot for swimming. We spent a few hours here then took a boat back to Porta Ayora (the town near the hotel.)

We went back to the hotel for lunch and had some free time until the next tour at 3:00. Next we went to the Darwin Discovery and Research Center. Here we learned about the discovery, the adaptation of animals, and invasive species that have been detrimental to the islands. Of the iguanas, only the marine Iguanas have teeth and can swim. The pink Iguana and Iguana de Isabela don't have teeth and are land animals. There was also the Darwin finch and Flightless cormorant. The Flightless cormorant is the only one in the world that doesn't fly. It used to. But in the Galapagos, it hasn't had to so over the years it's lost the ability to. Their food is in the ocean right next to their nests so they've adapted to not fly but just dive for their food. Other species that are invasive include the lady bug which was brought in to eat something that was killing the cactus'. However other unwanted species have also made it to the islands such as rats and goats and blackberry bushes. The rats eat turtle eggs and were brought here by pirates on their ships hundreds of years ago. Same with the goats. However goats reproduce rapidly so recently they spent millions of dollars to remove thousands of goats from the islands. Apparently there were just goats everywhere! The blackberry bushes are still a huge problem so if you know of a way to get rid of them, call the Galapagos. The Darwin Center is also doing conservative efforts for various species, especially the giant land tortoises. Some were captured that people had as "pets" but we're suspected to be supper some time. They also incubate the eggs because rats are eating them so the number of baby tortoises is down. Then once they reach maturity, they're released back into the wild. The most famous land Toirtous in the Galapagos was Lonesome George. He wasn't that old  - for a Toirtous - when he passed away, but he was the last of his kind. Then there is also the saddleback Toirtous which adapted a long neck for reaching food in a desert environment.

After the Darwin Research Center, we headed back to the hotel. A relaxing evening was followed by a delicious four course meal which concluded our day. Tomorrow we're heading out on the hotel yacht to snorkel and hike around more islands.

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