Day Four: Wishes Come True

When I was asked what I wanted to see the most while in the Islands, I told our naturalist it was the Giant Galapagos Tortoises.  These huge reptiles are only found in the Galapagos and the Sea Shell Islands. 

This morning on Isabela Island, we saw 3 live Tortoises, 2 large 60+ year old males and a little 15 year old female.  I loved the way that they just sat around and didn’t go anywhere when you got close to them. Below is a picture of the 15 year old female that I named Rachel.

We also saw Galapagos Land Iguanas, which unlike the classic land iguana are yellow! These iguanas were sort-of scared of us because, until just recently, introduced goats roamed the island – eating all of the foliage and leaving nothing for the iguanas and tortoises. The reason that I say until recently is because in the last 5 years, goats have been eradicated. 

It was tricky, but the Park finally figured out a way to rid the Island of the gloating goats.  They captured a goat (they called it a Judas goat), fitted it with a tracker and painted its horns bright orange.  Then, the goat was released and headed for a herd of goats.  After the goat found a herd, helicopters flew to the goat’s location and shot all of the goats, except for Judas goat (the one with the tracker and orange horns).  The Judas goat would go to find another colony, and the cycle would go around again and again.

Isabela, the island where this strategy to get rid of goats was used, is the largest island in the world to have all of the goats on it eradicated.  When I first heard about this, I thought it was sad, but when I learned that the goats had eaten all of the food that the Giant Galapagos Tortoises needed to eat, I decided that it was still sad that all of the goats had to die, but I am glad that they died and the tortoises didn’t! 

To finish off our morning activities, I wanted to get to a happier place - out of the “Dead Goat Gloom.”  After our hike, we played on the black sand beach and swam in the ocean. That did the trick.

Secretly, since we stared our tour, I had “the wants” for driving the little boats that shuttled passengers between the National Geographic Islander and shore, called Zodiacs or Pangas.  As if by magic, another dream came true.  All the kids on the boat, including me, got to learn how to drive the Panga. Here I am at the helm (so to speak).

After our Panga adventure, we came on board the Islander and headed to Tagus Cove.  There, mommy and I kayaked together in a double kayak.  We saw adorable penguins popping in and out of the water.  So weird to see penguins in the blazing hot sun.  We also enjoyed kayaking with some curious sea lions and tons of turtles, including some amorous turtles that looked a lot like two-headed turtles because they were mating.