CITY ESCAPES
Nature Photography, LLC
Newsletter
May, 2012
The Galapagos Islands
The islands that Charles Darwin made famous are located 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, and were our second major destination during our introduction to the beauty and mystique that is South America.
The extreme popularity of the islands requires that tourism be carefully managed by the Ecuadorian government. In order to prevent the massive damage to the ecosystem that would occur if unlimited numbers of visitors were allowed to go wherever they wanted, whenever they wanted, the government has devised a tourism plan that manages to do the impossible: protect the ecosystems that are so prized while still giving the visitors an unforgettable experience. Here’s how it works: all boats and ships giving tours in the islands must be registered with the Ecuadorian government (not the vessel’s legal, ownership registration, just a permission-to-give-tours-in-the-Galapagos registration). Each vessel is then given a predetermined itinerary with specified times for it to be at a particular port. This allows the number of visitors descending upon any particular place to be controlled, minimizing damage while simultaneously allowing the visitors to feel that they have the island to themselves.
I mention this because of how well it seems to work: many times during our eight days in the Galapagos, we felt as though our boat was the only one around. We had literally thousands of animals to ourselves, and we could study their behavior or explore the surrounding area without feeling jostled or crowded by other people. It was only when our guide would round us up to head back to the boat that we would come across other groups. At one point, I was the only person around, surrounded by almost a hundred sea lions. Now THAT is how to experience these magnificent islands!
Sea lions were plentiful on every island. When taking a rest, sitting on a rock, it was easy to be startled by the sudden movements of a lion right behind you that you had previously not noticed. Pups were numerous, and it only took watching the lions for a short time to notice various dramas playing out in the colony. Sea lions are curious, playful animals. Standing still to observe the larger colony, at three different points I felt the whiskers of inquisitive individuals that came up to me to check out this strange, finless creature.
The multitude of sea lions aside, the one thing that struck me as particularly missing from the Galapagos were mammals, particularly rodents. There were no small, furry creatures racing to their burrows or darting up trees. There is a species of rat native to the islands, but we did not see any. I had never before realized how integral rodents are in my conception of a complete ecosystem until I was in a place where they did not exist, despite an abundance of other wildlife. The islands do just fine without rodents, but in my mind, there was a gap in the chain of life that I had trouble reconciling. Of course, the lack of rodents, in combination with the lack of small predators such as foxes and cats, certainly contributed to the vast number of bird’s nests we saw simply sprawled on the ground or on very easy to reach rocks. The only predators the birds had to worry about, besides the small population of native rats, were other birds.
The Galapagos are renowned for their birds, especially finches (again, thanks to Darwin) and blue-footed boobies. Other birds can be found in great numbers as well, including frigatebirds (the males’ vibrant red pouches were fully inflated during our visit), red-footed boobies (red feet and blue bills – a most colorful bird!), and Nazca boobies (beautiful, but murderous when young – the first hatchling will push the second, as yet unhatched egg out of the nest, causing the egg to die). Though none were present during our visit, at certain times of year albatrosses make a stopover on the islands, as well.
My favorites were the boobies. All of the different varieties have webbed feet, and many make their nests in trees. Seeing a web-footed bird wrap its feet around a branch struck me as odd, amusing, and somewhat incredible. They were very accustomed to people, sometimes even making their nests in the middle of trails. Boobies are also terrific divers, streaking down at high speeds from out of the sky to plunge head-first into the ocean after a fish. A moment or two later they pop to the surface like a fishing bobber. I never tired of watching this spectacle.
Then there are the reptiles. There were snakes on a few islands, though we never saw any. What we did see plenty of, however, were iguanas. Dark, 2-3 foot long marine iguanas, found only in the Galapagos archipelago, covered the lava rocks, blending in so well that often we did not see them for a few seconds, though we were looking straight at them. Some of the males sported brilliant breeding-season colors, doing everything they could to not blend in. Yellow and orange land iguanas basked near their favorite food, prickly-pear cacti. The much smaller lava lizards, in a wide range of colors, clambered up walls and signposts, several missing their tails. Sea turtles swan in lagoons and mangrove swamps. By far the most majestic of all the reptiles, however, were the giant tortoises.
Upon first glance, one could be forgiven for mistaking these enormous, beautiful animals for boulders. The largest of all living tortoise species, Galapagos giant tortoises can weigh almost 900 pounds and reach a length of six feet. Despite their imposing build, they are gentle, slow-moving animals that simply want to be left alone. When threatened, they pull their heads and forelimbs into their carapaces for protection, and may hiss (similar to a cat) as a warning to the intruder. Seeing a number of these giant beasts in the wild was truly the highlight of our Galapagos tour.
The Islands’ Most Famous Resident
The Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island is home to the Galapagos’ most famous resident, a Pinta Island tortoise named Lonesome George. One of the rarest animals in the world, Lonesome George lives up to his name -- he is the last Pinta Island tortoise known to exist. When he passes away, so does his subspecies. Well, maybe.
The scientists at The Darwin Research Station are trying a variety of methods to keep George’s lineage going. Two females of a related subspecies share George’s enclosure, but for decades, he showed no interest in mating. Estimated to be around 100 years old in 2012, George is still well within his reproductive years (the lifespan of a giant tortoise is estimated to be between 150 and 200 years), so his apathy puzzled his keepers. Finally, in 2008, George mated for the first time. Since then, three clutches of eggs have been laid by the females but so far, none have proved viable.
So is the Pinta Island tortoise doomed to extinction? Not necessarily. The most promising sign comes from another Galapagos island, Isabela, where a first-generation crossbreed tortoise was discovered in 2007. His discovery suggests that among the approximately 2000 giant tortoises living on Isabela, there may yet be a purebred Pinta Island tortoise. With luck, it will be a female, and she will be discovered in time to produce a successful clutch of eggs with George. Additionally, another suspected purebred Pinta Island tortoise was discovered in the Prague Zoo in 2009, a male by the name of Tony. Fifty years younger than George, Tony gives additional hope to scientists that at least a successful crossbreed may be made (once Tony’s DNA is confirmed as purebred).
There is also a $10,000 reward for a purebred mate for George. This is not as ridiculous as it sounds. Thought to be extinct once already (Pinta Island tortoises, along with four other species of giant tortoise, had been declared extinct prior to the opening of the Darwin Research Station in 1962), George was only discovered in 1971. That, and especially the recent discovery of Tony, leave hope that a female Pinta Island tortoise may be as yet undiscovered. If she can be found, there is room for cautious optimism that the Pinta Island tortoise will live on.
May’s Monthly Specials
Get 10% off of “False Fire Sky” and “Neighbors – Lilac-breasted Roller and Elephant” when you order from our specials page. Find the page at http://www.cityescapesphotography.com/specials/index.html.
Offer good on unframed, 8x12 prints of “False Fire Sky,” and unframed, 8x9 prints of “Neighbors.”
May’s Fun Facts
On those Galapagos islands where giant tortoises are found, prickly pear cacti do not grow low to the ground, where the tortoises can easily get at the tasty flesh of the plant. Instead, they grow tall on a thick, single trunk, like trees. This trunk is covered by a tough bark, also similar to trees, making it difficult for the tortoises to feast.
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