Santa Cruz Island
We were sitting on the wooden bench within the Charles Darwin Research Station, drinking a soda, when this little guy popped up a foot from where we sat, and had a short bask. The sun was struggling through a thin cloud layer that had kept us from the strong equatorial light during our visit around the CDRS grounds. The land iguanas involved in the National Park and Station program for captive raising of endangered species, were also taking in the warmth that broke through. One moved his muscular hind legs in a comfortable stretch. We could almost hear him curl his toes with a satisfactory grunt.
The Galapagos giant tortoises were vying for their meal of taro chunks. A few heads were raised now and then in a dominance play for possession of a certain juicy morsel or two. Our small friend, the Galapagos lava lizard, Tropidurus albemarlensis, disappeared, but within a few minutes returned to his chosen corner of the bench. He was looking good, having recently shed the skin on his torso, and perhaps knew it, as he surveyed his small kingdom from up high. His belly settled softly against the warm wood, head up and alert.
Lunch in the highland restaurant was followed by a walk on the wild side with giant tortoises. Scattered throughout a green field, solitary domes of dark gray stood out. Not only in the fields, but a couple were found crossing the main road as well. This year we have encountered dozens of the giants in the highlands, more than I can recall having seen in this area for years. No one was in a hurry. They’ve been here for a long time, and with the efforts of everyone around here involved with conserving them and their habitat, we believe they will continue to teach us much more, in their slow and almost silent manner, for a long time still to come.
We were sitting on the wooden bench within the Charles Darwin Research Station, drinking a soda, when this little guy popped up a foot from where we sat, and had a short bask. The sun was struggling through a thin cloud layer that had kept us from the strong equatorial light during our visit around the CDRS grounds. The land iguanas involved in the National Park and Station program for captive raising of endangered species, were also taking in the warmth that broke through. One moved his muscular hind legs in a comfortable stretch. We could almost hear him curl his toes with a satisfactory grunt.
The Galapagos giant tortoises were vying for their meal of taro chunks. A few heads were raised now and then in a dominance play for possession of a certain juicy morsel or two. Our small friend, the Galapagos lava lizard, Tropidurus albemarlensis, disappeared, but within a few minutes returned to his chosen corner of the bench. He was looking good, having recently shed the skin on his torso, and perhaps knew it, as he surveyed his small kingdom from up high. His belly settled softly against the warm wood, head up and alert.
Lunch in the highland restaurant was followed by a walk on the wild side with giant tortoises. Scattered throughout a green field, solitary domes of dark gray stood out. Not only in the fields, but a couple were found crossing the main road as well. This year we have encountered dozens of the giants in the highlands, more than I can recall having seen in this area for years. No one was in a hurry. They’ve been here for a long time, and with the efforts of everyone around here involved with conserving them and their habitat, we believe they will continue to teach us much more, in their slow and almost silent manner, for a long time still to come.
