Today we visited San Esteban, one of the most magnificent and biologically important islands of the Gulf of California. The island is home to the endemic chuckwallas, spiny-tailed iguanas, black-tailed rattlesnakes, and other reptiles. A cactus species found nowhere else in the world is also located here. Hikes on the island allowed guests and naturalists to discover the wonderful vegetation of the island, including cardon cacti, desert lavender, ragweed, jojoba, and more. On our casual walks, we found several female chuckwallas digging nests as the time for laying eggs approaches. This is a good indication that mating has occurred, and production and recruitment of a new generation of chuckwallas is on its way. Hatchlings and adult spiny-tailed iguanas were also observed on rocks and on the dry inner skeletons of galloping cacti. What a day!
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 16 Mar 2023
San Esteban Island, 3/16/2023, National Geographic Venture
- Aboard the National Geographic Venture
- Baja California
Baja California: A Remarkable Journey
VIEW ITINERARYSign Up for Daily Expedition Reports
Fields with an asterisk (*) are required.
Enter travel details to receive reports from a single expedition
Send Daily Expedition Reports to friends and family
*By clicking the submit button, I authorize Lindblad Expeditions to email me; however, I am able to unsubscribe at any time. For more details, see our Privacy Policy.
Please note: All Daily Expedition Reports (DERs) are posted Monday-Friday,
during normal business hours. DERs are written onboard the ship only and do
not apply to land-based portions of expeditions.