Still Touring the Galapagos, Ecuador

Day 5: Santa Cruz

Large tortoises at the Darwin Center

We packed our bags, had an early breakfast, and headed into town for our final excursion. We visited the Charles Darwin center where they focus on preserving the native species of the Galapagos. Most of the efforts are on rehabilitating the giant tortoises that used to dominate almost all of the islands. During the whaling times, the tortoises were killed for food and oil and then their habitat was threatened by exotic species introduced by humans. The changes made such an impact on the population that they almost went extinct. After watching the tortoises in the center, we said our goodbyes as the five day tour ended. Some people headed to the airport while the rest of us headed to town. Will and I planned to stay in the town for several more days for exploring the Galapagos on our own.