G9: Santa Cruz Highlands (GIANT TORTOISES IN THE WILD) (10/1/13 PM)

Our lunch today was off-ship. We went to a picturesque restaurant called Aquelarre in the highlands. Most of us ate in the outdoor dining room, and a few ate inside the restaurant building.

Then it was back on the busses and higher yet. Our destination was the property of a native Galápagueño. The land is at the heart of the annual giant tortoise migratory route. They spend much of the dry season--the garúa (June-December)--in the uplands where there is often a light mist and there is adequate vegetation. During the wet season (January-May) they move to the lowlands where the frequent rains cause an explosion of highly nutritious, thick vegetation. This is also when they mate. When the dry season returns, the females lay their eggs and the adult males and many of the females migrate back to the highlands. (These migration patterns just started to be studied in about 2009.)

On the way we stopped at a lava tube and had the opportunity to walk/crawl in quite a distance from the opening. Lots of lush vegetation here, too.

When we reached our destination, we could wander around the property and encounter the giant tortoises wherever we found them. And there were giant tortoises everywhere. These are the dome-shelled species--there is plenty of grass and other vegetation low to the ground for them to eat. (By the way, these are not all photos of the same tortoise--we saw dozens of them, but there were 5 or so that we got close to and observed.)

Yes, I was this close.

If they feel threatened (you are too close or too noisy), they expel a big huff of air and withdraw their heads into their carapaces (shells).

Of course I shot some video as well. Giant tortoise on the move, and a couple of them eating.

We also saw some interesting birds that we had not seen elsewhere.

Black-necked stilt

Galápagos pintail 

Galápagos flycatcher

And why does the giant tortoise cross the road? To make the bus stop and the people take more photos, of course!

We had a little more time in the town of Puerto Ayora before boarding the Zodiacs back to the ship. After dinner, musicians and dancers from town provided traditional Ecuadorean entertainment for us.