Saving Species

The Galapagos National Park staff and Charles Darwin Research Station staff incubate and hatch giant tortoise eggs at the center to protect them from predators that were not native to the islands.  Generally, the tortoises remain in the breeding center until they are a few years old, when they can return to and live safely in their home islands.

How effective is this breeding program?  Before 1970 there were fewer than two dozen giant tortoises on Espanola.  Staff brought all the island’s tortoises to the center to breed because the likelihood of the animals finding each other was negligible (to say the least).  Since 1970, well over two thousand tortoises hatched in the center and have been returned to their home islands, including Espanola.     

Much of the success has to do with the eradication of non-native animals, like goats, dogs and pigs.  Tortoise eggs and babies were easy prey for those animals

We see both dome and saddleback tortoises at the center.

Domed tortoise

Saddleback Tortoise at the breeding center

And lots of babies.  

The numbers on the tortoise shells identify their homes so when they are mature, the staff can repatriate them to the appropriate islands.

Young Tortoises at the Charles Darwin Research Center - Breeding Center

As I move through the breeding center, I also see a lot of ‘old friends’:

woodpecker finches

Yellow land iguanas

 

My favorite caption for this guy has always been, "This IS my happy face."  And it probably is.

 

And a Lava lizard

We’re enjoying the animals, the history of the center, the knowledge that it has saved these extraordinary tortoises.  The 'bigger picture' is the important one: the center serves as a significant natural habitat for biodiversity and a resource for over two hundred educators, students, scientists, and volunteers from all over the world.  It trains naturalists, tour guides, and makes the education of the regional peoples a priority. Assuring the local community receives environmental education is one of its main goals. At the time of my visit, the staff was more than 75% Ecuadorian.

#    #    #