GIANT PANDA MEETS GIANT TORTOISE
On today's excursion to Santa Cruz Island to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station and see the incredible giant tortoises, certain naturalists from the Polaris had some fun with the WWF Panda who is sailing with the 72 WWF members, plus staff and crew. The photograph tells the story…the Panda (in a futile search for bamboo) emerged from the vegetation only to find its path blocked by a 70 year old tortoise weighing 350 pounds. He, like the rest of us, was in awe of the magnificent creature in front of him.
The Darwin Station and a visit to Galapagos National Park headquarters allowed us to see dozens of tortoises - from infants in the captive breeding program to several adults, at least one of whom the naturalists estimate to be 150 years old. That tortoise's life began shortly after Charles Darwin's work here.
Meanwhile, panda and tortoise spent the afternoon contemplating the beaks of Darwin's finches and parted company as the garua mists of the late afternoon bathed the hillside in a curtain of dew.
