Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ists' attempts to mate him with females and carry on the lineage on the Galápagos, but all
were fruitless, and on June 24, 2012 he passed away of old age. However, all is not lost.
Later that year, researchers have found juvenile hybrid tortoises of the same DNA type on
Isabela Island, pointing toward purebred parents that may be hiding out in remote areas of
the region.
The Pinta Island tortoises hailed from the archipelago's northernmost isle where they
prospered before virtually being driven to extinction in the late 19th century. Several
factors are to blame for this. They were hunted for their meat by naval vessels (even Dar-
win tried some) who sometimes threw them overboard to keep ships light (they weighed
200-600 pounds each) while goats who were introduced to the island in 1958 devastated
its vegetation, leaving scarce food supplies for the endemic species. Because of their eat-
ing habits and other behaviors, the tortoises were essential to maintaining balance of the
Galápagos ecosystem. Hopefully, a species revival will flourish on the horizon and the gi-
ant tortoises will reign their native islands once again.
Seymour Norte
North Seymour is a tiny island just north of Baltra where some of the world's largest pop-
ulations of blue-footed boobies and frigate birds dwell. Teeming with a plethora of wild-
life and encircled by a leisurely hiking trail, the island makes for an easy live-aboard
cruise stop or short day trip from Santa Cruz.
The varied species that populate Seymour are some of the Galápagos' star attractions, es-
pecially for bird-watchers who don't have to rise with the sun to view their bizarre mating
habits behind binocular lenses: the birds nonchalantly waddle about the island at all hours
of the day, posing for photos and dancing their famed rituals for the cameras. The males'
cerulean foot color indicates their level of nourishment and fade with age, so females
choose the younger ones with the best pigment to mate with based on their courtship
dance. First, a male will slowly make their way toward the female, making sure to flap
their webbed feet dramatically in the air with each step. Next they 'skypoint', or show off
with a long stretch of their wings as they gaze upward, and nudge nesting materials to-
ward their audience before a final show of the feet is exhibited.
While the somewhat clumsy boobies are known for this little dance, the stately male frig-
atebirds - whose red throat pouches swell during mating season to attract females - are
fascinating to observe, too. In fact, all the animals on Seymour live in harmonious abund-
