Charles Darwin Research Station

Amanda from pd. 2...

I was just wondering, you said you were going to study the tortoises, but I wasn't sure what you were exactly going to be studying about them. I love turtles and my grandparents went to the Galapagos Islands before and were up close next to the giant tortoises. I really hope there is nothing wrong with the wildlife there.

Amanda, I love turtles, too! The Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz (one of the Galapagos Islands) is trying to help the Galapagos tortoises by collecting eggs from the wild. They hatch and raise the turtles in captivity until they reach a size that they feel would have a good chance of survival in the wild. They also have a captive breeding program at the station. In addition, the Galapagos National Park Service will sometimes hunt feral predators and competitors. I will be visiting the Darwin Research Station to learn about these programs and if they have been successful in helping increase the tortoise population. Ask your grandparents if they visited the station. If the research station has brochures or pamphlets, I will bring some back for you. Thanks for caring about wildlife!

I just found a really great website for you and your family. It is all about the Galapagos tortoises, including threats to survival and conservation measures being taken.

http://www.discovergalapagos.com/tortoise.html#BREEDING