6 October 2011
Sadly this is our last day on the wonderful Galapagos Islands. A fitting end is a visit to the Charles Darwin Foundation and Research Station at Puerto Ayora. The Foundation is an international non-profit organisation that has for the last 50 years been providing scientific research and assistance for the conservation of the Galapagos terrestrial and marine ecosystems. The Research Station has an education centre as well as facilities such as tortoise hatcheries.
We were very fortunate to be able to see Lonesome George who was the last survivor of the Pinta Island Tortoises. He was thought to be 80-100 years old and the rarest creature in the world. He was relocated to the Research Station and many attempts were made to mate him with closely related females. Although some eggs were produced, they were all inviable. Lonesome George died in June 2012.
There were also tortoises there from other islands and it was easy to see the differences in shell structures between the species.
And then sadly we had to visit the big bird to take us back to the mainland.
For similar trips see:
Explore South America with Intrepid Travel
(a range of different travel styles – see my post on travel styles)
Peregrine Adventures Travel Destinations (Comfort and independent tours)
Geckos Adventures (for 18 to 30s)
Note: After people telling me they had booked an Intrepid Tour on my recommendation, I now have affiliate links with the Intrepid Travel group of companies and may receive a commission if you book a tour online within a couple of months after clicking through to these sites. So if you are enjoying my tips and stories and finding them useful in choosing your own travel, please click on these links and help me to bring you more ☺.
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