Charles Darwin Research Station & the Highlands of Santa Cruz Island
On previous days we have been able to enjoy the wonders of the Galápagos National Park and the surrounding waters, forming one of the largest marine reserves in the world. We saw mockingbirds, lava lizards, waved albatrosses, sea lions close and personal, dolphins and even a Blue whale the largest animal that has ever inhabited planet earth.
It has been really hard to protect and conserve all these beauties for future generations. After man discovered the islands, many of the original creatures had come close to the brink of extinction and some of them have already disappeared.
Since the islands were declared as a National Park and a World Heritage Site, it was necessary to establish certain rules, and to work on a management plan to help reestablish the very fragile ecosystems of the islands, found nowhere else in the world.
Scientists and Park Rangers work hard to eradicate organisms introduced by people, to restore colonies of endangered animals and vegetation, and to carry-out environmental education programs for the inhabitants of the islands. Animals such as Lonesome George, make us think of the vulnerability of these unique islands and their ecosystems.
Islands covered with rocks and fresh lava flows have nothing but scattered little plants, deciduous trees which can leaf out, bloom and produce fruits in only a month with one day of rain fall in the entire year; and very lush highlands carpeted by daisy-like plants where giant Galápagos tortoises and a myriad of little land birds roam all over.
This is an incredible paradise which truly deserves to be protected for the future generations so that they can have a very close encounter in front of their very eyes.
