Day 277
Santa Cruz, Galagagos Island, Ecuador, South America
Last day of Island tour!
We got our taxi at 6am and headed to the much awaited Charles Darwin Centre..and you know, it turned out to be WONDERFUL meeting Lonesome George on the one hand..and a let down on the other!
The let down was we never learned any more than what we already knew about Charles Darwin and his evolutionary theories. I´m not sure what we were expecting...some history? The reason´s why the Galapagos Is was an inspiration for him?
Much more than what we got anyway...
But...why did we expect so much anyway? It was all in the name..no one told us we should have expected any more.
So...we go home needing to know more about Charles Darwin apart from the fact that he came to the Galapagos in 1835, spent three months doing research here..and found that the tortoises on each island were different...but that they had come from a common stock of tortoises and evolved into different species that had adapted.
This observation formed part of his worldchanging Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection!
Apprently those different tortoises soon became extinct due to indians eating them..and hunters hunting them for their oil. There were once 11 species...and now there are only five. Six have become extinct.
Which brings me to LONESOME GEORGE!
He is also called Saint George or King George!
He is the last of the Saddleback tortoises from Pinto Island...and we´ve heard he is anything from 110 to 150 years old! I don´t think anyone really knows for sure...
But he certainly is sitting there all alone..but he does look happy! We saw him eating away....chomping really...and he did a huge yawn as if to say...more tourists - boring! haha
It was a real privilege to meet him..and to see him in his habitat there...he is the rarest animal on earth some say!
Such a celebrity!
And what a handsome fellow for a guy that old!
The funny thing is.............poor old George isn´t interested in the ladies. They have tried. In fact, in the natural pen where he is at the Charles Darwin Centre...are two girls, closely related to him who have come from Isabella Island.
But nope. Ol George has lost his mojo..and will not procreate and carry on his species!
IT´s funny..but very sad at the same time.
They are doing research and hare looking for a mate worldwide...
So....if anyone knows of a nice lady for George..ring the Darwin Centre!!!!!
We left Santa Cruz Island to head for Baltra Airport today..and Sammy Sea Lion decided the day was too wet and cold to be sunbaking in his chair on the boat because it was all deserted...
As we looked back at the island..we thought...we´d love to go back some day..but in our hearts we knew it was a once off experience..it reminded me of the Abrolhos so much..because it had that untouched, protected by the locals feel.
It´s a special place, and we knew it.
