Galapagos Gala

I'm back in my New Jersey classroom and excited to teach my students about the Galapagos Islands and its inhabitants. Gracias to all who participated in my journey. Many of the questions you posted will be addressed in class, and some of the questions are still unanswered and need to be investigated. This is a work-in-progress!

We will begin our classroom adventure in January, culminating with a Galapagos Gala on Tuesday, February 12, 2008. All are invited to attend.

To start our study, we will take a look at oil spills and their effects on wildlife. As many of know, an oil spill threatened the Galapagos Islands in January of 2001. A tanker named Jessica ran aground and spilled up to a quarter million gallons of oil into the ocean near the island of San Cristobal. To bring this issue home, do you remember the 2004 oil spill in the Delaware River? The Athos tanker spilled over 250,000 gallons of oil in the Delaware River in route to a refinery in Paulsboro, NJ. How do these spills impact the environment?

Stay tuned for more details, but in the mean time, Google these two oil spills to get a jump start on the study.

Back to the boobies!

Hi. I found the answer to Savannah pd.1's question about the differences between male and female blue-footed boobies. In the case of the Blue-Footed Booby, the females are slightly larger than the males. Though the males tails are usually a little bit longer than a females tails. But these characteristics are hard to notice normally. The best way to tell the difference is by the sound it makes. Males make a whistle-like sound. But the females make more of a croak-like sound.

Thanks,
Daniel Kutzik pd.1

Have scientists figured out...

Hi. I have a question about the giant tortoises of the Galapagos Islands. I know that every island has a giant tortoise with a different shell shape. The reason for this is because the tortoises evolved to adapt to their habitat. I want to know if scientists have figured out what specifically causes the differences in the shells of the tortoises of each island. And if they did figure it out, what specifically caused the tortoises to evolve in the way they did?

Thanks,
Daniel pd.1

Dan, if I understand your question correctly about "what specifically causes the differences...", it is an adaptation to the vegetation of each island. For example, the tortoises with a raised front shell and long neck can feed on higher growing vegetation. Tortoises that feed on grasses or low growing vegetation will have dome-shaped shells. It is evolution at its finest. There is some interesting information about tortoises and the evolution of their shells at http://www.gct.org/tortoise.html. Check it out.

Why are they small?

Hi. I have a question that relates to my previous post about the different kinds of butterflies that live on the Galapagos Islands. According to the information that I found, the largest butterfly and moth on the Galapagos Islands are both not native to the islands. My question is why are the largest of the moths and butterflies species not native to the Galapagos? Is there a reason why the butterflies and moths native to the Galapagos are small?

Thanks,
Daniel Pd.1

Trash Anyone?

Hello Ms.Barrett. I have this one question that I had for a while now. How do they collect trash on the Galapagos Islands? You told me about recycling in class one day, but do they have trucks coming to pick trash as if in Mt. Laurel or do the people have to take trash/recycling items to a dump site or a certain place? Does the trash get taken to Ecuador to be dumped or is it on the Islands? I couldn't find anything so far but can someone else answer them? Thanks!

-Om 1st period

Butterflies & Moths

Hi. The answer to Stacy from Pd.9's question is yes, there are more butterflies other than the Blue Morpho. The endemic (native) species of butterflies in the Galapagos Islands include the Galapagos Sulfur Butterfly, which is very small and has bright yellow wings; the Large Tailed Skipper, which is another small butterfly but it has brown wings; the Green Hawkmoth, which is a large, bright green moth; and the Indefatigable Hawkmoth, which is a moth only found on Santa Cruz. Interestingly, there are a few residence species of butterfly that live on the islands. A residence species is a species that lives in more than one place and came to that location naturally. One of the butterflies that is a residence species to the Galapagos is the Monarch Butterfly, which came to the Galapagos Islands because milkweed was introduced there. It is also the largest butterfly of the Galapagos. Another residence species of the Galapagos Islands is the Fringed Noctuid, which is also the largest species of moths on the Galapagos. It's interesting also how the largest butterfly and moth of the Galapagos are not originally from the Islands. Hopefully that answered your question.

Sincerely,
Daniel pd.1

Good information, Daniel. Don't you think it is fascinating that when milkweed was introduced to the Islands, monarchs somehow found their way there? We are talking hundreds of miles from the mainland!

Collision!

According to http://www.galapagos-islands-tourguide.com/, the islands are on top of the Nazca plate. They are also about 1,000 kilometers from South America. I did the math, and the two areas will probably collide with each other in 142,857,142 years, or in a little less than 150 million years.

Stormy Weather

Miss Barrett,
I was wondering about the storms that come in on the islands. Do they have hurricanes, cyclones, typhoons? I know they are all the same things just made under different bodies of water, but can they get hit with all of them? Also, do they have tornadoes down there?

Rachel pd. 2

Why not limit the number of people?

Hello again! I have a couple questions to ask, they're listed below.

1) Why doesn't the government of Ecuador limit the amount of people living on the Galapagos Islands?
2) Why doesn't Ecuador limit the places people can live on the islands? Maybe have new laws/ zoning laws set aside for the Galapagos Islands.
3) How many countries and organizations support(help fund) the Galapagos Islands?

Thanks!

-Om pd.1

Sula nebouxii

The answer to Alex pd. 5's question about what the scientific name for the Blue-Footed Booby is Sula nebouxii. The blue-footed booby is in the family of Sulidae which includes gannets and boobies. Both these kinds of birds swim in the water to catch fish. The genus is Sula which include any kind of booby: blue-footed, red-footed, or masked boobies. I hoped that answered Alex's question and more.

Seven centimeters per year

Ms. Barrett,
I have found some information on the webpage of http://www.galapagos-islands-tourguide.com/galapagos-islands-volcanos.html. Some of it answers Daniel's questions.

Apparently, all of the islands have different ages. The oldest ones, such as Espanola, Florena, and Santa Fe are in the four to five million year range. There are also multiple islands that are two or three million years old, such as Santiago or Bartolome. The youngest ones were created about one million years ago. On this same website, I also discovered that the plate under the Galapagos helps the archipelago move seven centimeters a year.

Sincerely,
Cara (whom hails from period 1)

Good, Cara. Did you get the name of the plate and the direction in which it is moving? And if the islands are moving east at seven cm/year, when will they hit South America?!

How old are the islands?

Hi Ms. Barrett. I just had a question that's been stuck in my head for a while now and I want to know if anyone knows the answer. I wanted to know if scientists have figured out approximately how old the Galapagos Islands are? Also if they do know, how did they figure this out?

Thanks,
Daniel Pd. 1

Good question, Dan. Whoever answers this question will also discover the islands are actually moving with age. Students, some of you are crying for extra credit. Answer this question for Dan and I'll give you a five-point BioBuck!

Baby Boobies

Hi Ms. Barrett,
When is the mating season for the blue-footed boobies, and how many baby boobies do they produce each year?

Crystal pd. 8

Crystal, good questions about the blue-foots' reproduction. I don't believe there is a set breeding season for the blue-foots; the breeding is almost continuous throughout the year. The female lays up to three eggs. If feeding conditions are favorable, all three chicks will be raised by the parents. If feeding conditions are not favorable, "siblicide" will occur. That is when a stronger chick kills a weaker chick.

Who's eating my potato chips?

Hey, Ms. Barrett. I was wondering what was the most fun thing you did in the Galapagos Islands and what was the worst. Did you get to see any of the male frigate birds with their throats inflated? How close did you get to the blue-footed boobies?

My aunt was in the Galapagos with her friend. When she was laying on the beach, she feel asleep with a bag of potato chips open. When she woke up, a blue-footed booby was eating them. She took some pictures of the booby eating her chips!

Zac pd. 2


Zac, Thanks for sharing your story! When did your aunt go to the Galapagos Islands? I would love to see the photos she took. I got within three or four feet of the blue-foots, but probably not as close as your aunt! Unfortunately, I didn't see a male frigate with his throat inflated. Maybe next time!

It is very hard saying what was most fun on the islands. I loved everything about the trip! The worst thing was trying to pack everything in one suitcase!

Some Questions

Hi Ms. Barrett!
These are just some questions I had about the animals on the Galapagos Islands:

-Are other birds as colorful as the blue-footed booby and the frigate bird?

-Is it easy to tell the difference between a male sea lion and a female sea lion? Or do they look almost the same?

-I noticed that most of the bird pictures on the blog look like they are near the ocean. Do a lot of the birds on the Galapagos Islands live close to the ocean?

Maya (pd. 1)

Maya,
Thanks for the questions! I have a field guide for all the birds of the Galapagos Islands on my desk. In addition to have pictures, the book includes information about each bird's status, identification, distribution, diet, and breeding. Let's take a look at it 6th period.

More Iquana Info!

Ms. Barrett,
I saw the video from the school's website, and I got answers to most of the questions.

In the Galapagos, you mainly find the marine iguanas on Santa Cruz, Ferdinadina, Isabela (where the iguanas get to be the largest), Espanola (where the iguanas tend to be the most colorful), and Genovesa (which has the smallest iguanas). They tend to congregate on rocky beaches, although they may choose to stay in marshes or mangroves. Marine iguanas are only found in the Galapagos islands.

The male iguanas are larger, and can be up to 4 feet in length. The males are more colorful, and the colors differentiate according to the island they are from. If they are from Santa Cruz the males tend to be brick red and black on Fernandina, they tend to be brick red and dull green. If they are from the southern islands, they are the most colorful, with the males being bright red and teal. The females are only 2-3 feet and are blackish or greyish. The color in males deepens as they get older.

The marine iguana "sneezes" to get salt out of their noses because many males feed under salt water. There is a gland connected to their nose where the salt water gets expelled from their systems.

The marine iguanas spend time on land only to sleep and warm up. The males feed on algae that is farthest into the water. The record time for being underwater by an iguana is 30 minutes, although most dives only last about 10. The deepest a marine iguana has gone is reported to be 15 feet. Most only go up to 5 feet deep.

Marine iguanas are so inactive on land because the are cold blooded. They lose heat when they feed in water, so they try to get heat or lose heat if they are overheating, and that involves either sitting a while in the sun or staying in the shade. Marine iguanas huddle close together at night to conserve heat. During mating season, the marine iguanas gather a large group of females and they become very aggressive toward the fools who try to intrude on their land!

Marine iguanas are subject to predation. When they are babies, they can be eaten by rodents. When they are young, they can be eaten by feral cats. When they are adults, the sometimes can get eaten by dogs. That is why when they are sunbathing, they get more aggressive to scare predators off so the predators don't chase them because while they are sunbathing, iguanas don't have a lot of heat, therefore they don't have much energy. They are mainly herbivores, surviving off of algae and seaweed.

The marine iguanas claws help them cling on to their underwater feeding sources if there is a current, and climb rock slopes.

Marine iguanas are indifferent to humans, Mostly, humans can approach them without scaring them off. They are more calm on more populated beaches because they spend so much time near humans.

Information courtesy of: www.rit.edu and www.geocornell.edu

Priya
pd.1

Thanks, Priya. Between you and Jeff, we will all be marine iguana experts!

Iguana Info

Hi Ms. Barrett,
I answered the questions from the video about marine iguanas.

The marine is only found on the Galapagos Islands. They are usually found on rocky shores, in mangrove swamps, or on beaches. There are approximately 200,000-300,000 marine iguanas left in the world. You can tell the difference between a male and a female because males grow larger than the females and they are also more brightly colored. Males have shades of red and green, while the females are dark gray to black. For most of the day they will be in the water. An average dive lasts for about 5-10 minutes, but they can last underwater for up to an hour. The marine iguana will sneeze in the salt water to get rid of the salt in their body. While they are in the cold water, being cold-blooded, they loose 10 degrees Celsius of their original body heat.

When they come on land the marine iguanas become inactive. This is because they cannot sustain exercise for a long period of time. They will sit on the lava rocks to restore the lost body heat from the ocean. At night the marine iguanas will all huddle together to conserve their body heat during the night. The purpose of the marine iguana's claws are to grip onto rocks. On land, it is to keep them form being blown away by the surf, and in the water it is to keep them in one place as they feed on algae.

During the mating season, their will be battles between the males for nesting places. The two competing males will bob their heads and then charge at each other, trying to push the other backwards. The battle will end when one of the iguanas either runs away or lies flat on its belly as a sign of surrender, and it will usually take 5 hours before one does. After the iguanas have found a place to nest (a soft sandy place) the female will lay around 34 eggs the size of tennis balls. Later the eggs will hatch and the baby iguanas will be born.

The marines iguanas' population is being threatened because of introduce species. Their natural enemies were many birds, including the Galapagos Hawk, Lava Heron, and the Striated Heron. Its newest enemies are the rat, cat, and dog. Each of the introduced species feeds on an iguana at a different stage of its life. The rat will eat the eggs, the cat will eat the babies, and the dog will eat both the babies, and the full grown adults. Scientists say that if we don't do anything about the declining of the marine iguana population, they could eventually die out.

Jeffrey
Period 1

Wow, Jeff! Very impressive! Excellent work on the marine iguanas. I waited very patiently to get video of one of the iguanas sneezing!

Marine Iguana Challenge!

The next video clip features marine iguanas. I had to select about 90 seconds of footage from over two hours of video tape! For those of you who have done video editing before, you know how painful this task is!

This video clip includes questions about Galapagos Islands marine iguanas. Students, you can earn points by answering any of the questions or asking more of your own. I still have a handful of Galapagos Islands souvenirs left! First come, first serve!

http://www.mtlaurelschools.org/mbmovie7

Are the boobies big?

Hey Ms. Barrett, I wanted to know about the blue-footed booby. Are they big?

I hope you are having a good time. I wish I was there too!

Heather pd. 2

Heather, the blue footed booby is about the size of Canada geese, maybe a little smaller. I see them everyday flying around. It is really awesome to watch them dive head first into the ocean for fish. I was actually able to capture a couple of dives on video, but I haven't downloaded the footage yet. I would like to make a booby video clip for the blog. Maybe you can help me during lunch one day this week!

"Water, water, everywhere, but not a drop to drink"

Dear Ms. Barrett:

To answer your question about the drinking water quality on Santa Cruz, I found this information at http://web.mit.edu/12.000/www/m2008/teams/lasiguanas/Water_Management.html

Unlike some of the other Galapagos Islands, Santa Cruz does have fresh water.  Santa Cruz's fresh water is pumped from 25 meters underground by 7 electric pumps.  These pumps don't function in coordination with each other which causes inconsistent flow rates.  Sea water usually mixes in with the fresh water being pumped up.  This causes the chlorine to be too high in the water to drink.  Also about half the water is lost because of leaky pipes.

In San Cristobal there are also water leakage problems in the pipes and fresh water shortages. In Isabela there are pipe contamination problems.

I hope this answers your question.

Sincerely,
Daniel pd. 1

Daniel,
Thanks for the information about the drinking water on the islands. Between the salt infiltration and the waste contamination, the people of the Galapagos Islands have a huge enviromental problem of their hands.

It's time to go home :(

We left the Galapagos Islands Wednesday morning for the mainland. I was able to catch up on some blogging last night. The Internet service is much better here in Quito. Getting online on the island of San Cristobal was rather challenging! Sorry about any posting delays!

My flight leaves Ecuador in about seven hours. I'll be back in New Jersey by the end of the day. I still plan to post some more video footage, so continue to stay tuned. Also, feel free to email me your questions/answers. I have a little souvenir for all of you who participated. I sincerely appreciated your input and dedication to the blog.

See you soon!
Ms. Barrett

Attention Educators

If you are interesting in finding out how you can participate in a teaching program in the Galapagos, Japan, Korea, Costa Rica, or Saudi Arabia, find out more about the Institute of International Education by clicking on the video link below. Good luck!

http://www.mtlaurelschools.org/mbmovie6

Day off!

On Tuesday, all of the teachers were given a day off, and we deserved it! No meetings to attend, no presentations, nothing! So what did I do? Fill my day with as much wildlife viewing as possible! I am trying to capture enough video footage for you to create Galapagos wildlife documentaries. (We'll talk more about that later!)

I think I have enough footage of sea lions and marine iguanas, but I was still lacking bird footage, particularly boobies and frigate birds. To cover as much of the island as possible, three of us hired a taxi driver. Our first stop was Loberia las Negritas. We jumped out of the truck and started our first hike. Sea lions covered the beach and marine iguanas covered the lava rocks. Boobies and frigates were also soaring overhead, but I wanted to see them on land, and see lots of them!



We continued our hike to a sea cliff. From a distance we saw a few boobies perched on the rocks. As we got closer, we realized we also found a small colony of swallow-tailed gulls. This was a great find! You may be thinking that sea gulls are no big deal, but this one sure is. It is the only nocturnal gull in the world, meaning they are the only gulls that are active in the night. I also found out an interesting fact about them. When the male is courting the female, he regurgitates food for her! What do you think about that girls?!



A couple of boobies were in the area, but not enough to write home about. We soon hiked back to the vehicle.

Our next stop was to Galapaguera de Cerro Colorado, a tortoise sanctuary. This place provided a natural habitat for about 60 San Cristobal tortoises. This is a different species then we had seen on the island of Santa Cruz. I got some good footage. This will be useful to compare and contrast the differences in the tortoises’ shells.

Then we headed to Playa de Puerto Chino on the other side of the island. We walked along a beautiful beach and hiked up onto a sea cliff. There was a brown pelican on a nest of eggs, and a couple of blue-foots here and there. From the sea cliff we were able to see some sea turtles. I believe they were Pacific green turtles. Apparently these turtles used to be hunted, but hunting of them was banned, and the population is doing well today.



The day was winding down, and there was one more place we wanted to hike: Frigatebird Hill. To this point, I had only seen the frigate bird in flight. When we got to the top, we were able to see about fifty frigate birds perched in the trees. We were able to get really close to them. Unfortunately, none of the males had their throats inflated, however, the picture below shows the male's red flap of skin that inflates. This was a little disheartening, but I got my footage of frigate birds for you! We snapped our last photo of the day at the Charles Darwin statue that rests on Frigatebird Hill.



So my day off was very busy, but also well spent. I could use another couple of weeks here on the islands!

Consumers, Producers, and Decomposers of the Galapagos

Since we have a quiz tomorrow on the consumers, producers, and decomposers, I thought this would be an appropriate time to ask these questions. What kind of consumers, producers, and decomposers are there on the Galapagos? Is there a lot of predation? Are there lots of endangered animals or extinct animals on the island? Are there lots of food webs and food chains? And are the blue-footed boobies preyed on a lot? And what kind of consumers are they… Herbivores? Carnivores? Or are they omnivores?

Rachel pd. 2

Great questions, Rachel! We will be addressing the organisms in the Galapagos food web, so I don't want to give it all away! However, to prepare for the quiz, understand the terms and their meanings. Producers "produce" their own food using the sun's energy. Plants are producers, and the process in which they make their own food is called photosynthesis. Consumers "consume" plants or other consumers. The blue-footed booby is a consumer because it eats fish, and fish are consumers. Decomposers are found everywhere. They are the bacteria and fungi that break down dead organisms. The Galapagos tortoise feeds on plants (producers), so what type of consumer is it? If blue-footed boobies eat only fish, what type of feeder are they?

Good luck on the quiz, Rachel!

Fishy Names!

Hey, it's Stacey from Pd. 5! I wanted to wish you the best in everything and hopefully you are learning a lot and having fun! Well I've been looking over what you wrote about the types of fish you wrote in Spanish ("Fishing, Anyone?" posted by Elijah on October 9th). Well, one thing for sure...carabale is one fish I couldn't identify because people from different places say each thing differently. So my parents weren't sure if you spelled it correctly or meant something else. Moving on to the other fish you mentioned, loros mean parrots so it must mean they look like one and sapatillas means sneakers, so I’m not sure with that translation. Lastly, roncadores mean MONKEYS!!! But my parents told me that since you were talking about types of fish, then it might have to do with the Spanish people naming the way fish make noises just like the monkeys! Before I finish, the name of Puerto Baquerizo Morela has a meaning too. Well only Puerto does. My dad says its a seaport, but Baqueriza Morela doesn’t mean anything. It must be named after someone by last or first name.

I hope you enjoy the trip and hopefully this information is useful....cya soon!!!

Thanks for the Spanish lesson, Stacey. When I was posting the response to Elijah's question, I was in an Internet cafe. I asked the owner to spell the fish names for me. I don't know if they are spelled correctly or not. I need to learn Spanish!

When I was hiking on a beach yesterday, I found a dead fish. I took a picture of it because it had a mouth that looked like a parrot's beak. It must have been the loros! I posted a picture below. What do you think? Thanks for the information!

Three Boobies

Hey, Ms. Barrett. It's Alexa G. from period 2.

Earlier you mentioned that there were three different types of boobies (blue-footed, red-footed and the masked booby). I was wondering if there are any differences between them besides their appearance.

Alexa, the three species of boobies have a great deal in common because they are all in the same genus. (I am referring to their classification...domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species.) Since they have almost all of the levels of classification in common, they are extremely similar. However, there are some differences. One example is their nesting behavior. Blue-foots nest on the ground, red-foots in small trees and shrubs, and masked boobies nest on cliffs or near the edge of the sea. I just found out on this trip that the masked boobies found in the Galapagos are now called Nazca boobies. Can someone tell me why their name was recently changed, and where the name came from?

Thanks for the question, Alexa!

Sea Lions of San Cristobal

I made a video clip about the sea lions on the island of San Cristobal. The video doesn't get into the natural history of the sea lions, so I'll give you a little bit of information here.

Sea lions are actually the largest animals on the Galapagos Islands. The estimated population is 50,000. These animals are very playful and inquisitive. I have spent hours watching them lounge on the beaches and lava rocks and play in the water. The male sea lions have a harem, with one bull (the male) with up to thirty cows (the females). The males will defend their territory by barking, posturing, pushing, and biting.

We have a videographer with us on our trip, documenting the program for Toyota. He was telling us about when he one time was swimming near sea lions, when one of the sea lions bit him on the butt! The sea lion's teeth when through his wet suit and punctured his skin! So in addition to be playful and inquisitive, they can also be aggressive.

http://www.mtlaurelschools.org/mbmovie5

Funding from Toyota

Rhonda Glasscock, the Corporate Contributions Manager for Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., is with us on this trip. It has been a pleasure traveling with Rhonda, and I sincerely appreciate the funding I received from her organization. Thanks, Rhonda, and thanks, Toyota!

http://www.mtlaurelschools.org/mbmovie4

Google Earth

Are the students finding your location on Google Satellite Maps? They may not be able to see you in real time, but they can zoom down to the locations you´re visiting. It will give them great perspective.

I would like to know how much change has taken place in regards to sea height, temperature, aquatic life, and amount of krill as a food source in the Galapagos region.

Mr. G (Alexa´s dad)

Mr. G., I will have to find out exactly what effects climate change are having on the Galapagos Islands. One of the teachers at the forum mentioned addressing global warming by planting schools gardens and encouraging the students to have gardens at home.

Hey, students, BioBuck offer: Googe Earth San Cristobal of the Galapagos Islands. I am in the town of Puerto Baquerizo Morelo!

Fishing, anyone?

Hey Ms. Barrett,
I was just wondering, are there any major cities in the Galapagos Islands, and if so what can you do there? Also, if I were to go fishing, would I catch anything different than I would in the United States?

Elijah Pd. 1

Elijah,
Yes, the major town on this island is Puerto Baquerizo Morelo, which happens to be the capital of the Galapagos Islands. But it really isn´t that large at all. The largest town is Puerto Ayora on the island of Santa Cruz. For fun on the islands, children around your age play soccer, volleyball, basketball, go swimming, spend time with their families, and hang out with friends.

The locals on San Cristobal fish for carabale, loros, sapatillas, and roncadores. These are the Spanish names; I have to find out what they are in English!

GALAPAGOS Boobies on YouTube

There are many clips of the boobies on you tube, but I was sure to keep the word Galapagos in the search! They seem like a cross between a large seagull and a pelican. There was on particular clip with at least 50 of them flying by but I couldn't make out the feet to be sure it was a booby. All the other clips seem to only have one or two together. Since they do not migrate in flocks, do they stay in groups?

Also, another question, which do you like better Galapagos or Africa?

Patti

Patti,
There are three species of boobies here on the islands: Blue footed, red footed, and masked boobies (now known as Nazca boobies). They are colonial birds meaning they like to stay together as a group (like the purple martins in front of Harrington). I have seen the blue-foots every day in front of the hotel diving in the water for fish. They are well-adapted for this method of feeding. As they plunge into the water, they hit the water at break-neck speed. However, this does not hurt them because they have air sacs in their skull to cushion the impact of the dive. They also have pointed, tapered beaks and torpedo-shaped bodies. These adaptations serve them well when fishing for a meal.

Africa or the Galapagos??? Tough choice! While watching the frigate birds today, I thought it would be great to be involved in a scientific study of them. While in Africa last year, I thought about returning to study elephants or South African penguins. Both the Galapagos and Africa are places I would return to in a heartbeat!

Contaminated Water

Hi! I think I have the answer to the contaminated water question. The most common diseases in the food and water supply are Hepatitis A and Typhoid Fever. They're caused by bacteria and viruses that our bodies aren't use to.

I have part of an answer about my mom's question about the coast guard. Different parks have their own river patrol boats and to help with their funding they get private donations and grants from other countries like the US. When there is an oil spill they will call the US coast guard to help clean it up.

Mike C. pd. 8

Mike,
Thanks for the answer. Unfortunately, the people of these islands have to worry about getting several diseases from the water. Solid waste products filter through the rock and contaminant the ground water, and the population increase is speeding up the rate of contamination. This may sound really gross, but it is a reality the Galapaguenos have to deal with on a daily basis. In addition to diseases from the waste, the water is also salty.

I found out the Ecuadorian Navy patrols the islands. When we pulled into port yesterday, there was a navy ship in the harbor. I heard there are a handful of these ships patroling the Galapagos Islands.

Scuba Diving

Soon after the education forum, the Institute of International Education had arranged for us to go snorkeling. Since a group of us are certified scuba divers, we suited up to go diving instead.

Typically when scuba diving, you do two dives. Our fist dive site was called “Kicker Rock.” The boat ride to the site and the camaraderie were great, but the dive wasn’t too spectacular. The visibility was less than twenty feet, and there was a strong surge on the bottom swaying us back and forth the entire dive. We were hoping to see some hammerhead or Galapagos sharks on the dive, but they didn’t show up. Actually, they probably saw us, but we didn’t see them! We did, however, see two huge sting rays. Each one was about the size of four school desks put together! We also saw schools of fish, starfish, and thousands of pencil sea urchins. The visibility on the second dive was the same…lousy! But the highlight of the second dive was the sea lions. They were swimming all around us, playful and curious, getting closer and closer each time they passed. It is amazing how graceful these animals are under the water. I took many photos using a disposable underwater camera. I hope a few of the photos turn out.

International Teacher Forum

We left the island of Santa Cruz on Saturday. After a three-hour boat ride, we arrived on the island of San Cristobal. This island is less populated than Santa Cruz, with a total population of 6,142. Greeting us at the dock were playful sea lions, soaring frigate birds, and blue-footed boobies diving headfirst into the sea. After checking into our hotel and eating lunch, I took a walk to a beach to find a colony of sea lions. There must have been over one hundred of these mammals lounging on the beach! I even saw some newborn sea lion pups. They were adorable!

On Sunday, all of the United States and Galapagueno teachers met at the Charles Darwin Convention Center for an environmental teacher forum. This forum allowed us to collaborate on both a national and international level through activities and presentations. Ms. Cecilia Machado Barrera from the Escuela Galo Plaza Lasso School on Santa Cruz, presented a wonderful Power Point about the environmental projects her students do at their school. She explained how the increased population on the islands is creating an increase in environmental problems. Her students are addressing these problems and trying to find solutions. One way they are helping is through a recycling program, trying to reduce the amount of waste produced at their school. They use recyclable products, such as paper, to make products that are then sold at a business fair. They create compost from all of the organic waste collected during lunch. This compost is used in their school gardens. One of the gardens is a butterfly garden (yes, they have milkweed and monarchs here!), and they also have gardens for native and endemic species. These habitats are used as outdoor classrooms for all the subject areas. Ms. Machado Barrera also has an after school ecology club, and takes the students on many field trips to learn about their environment. In addition, the school hosts after school and evening activities to educate the public, allowing the students to present their findings through presentations to family and community members.

Through Ms. Cecilia Machado Barrera presentation, I learned that the increase in population on the islands is a major concern to the locals and causing problems. Some of the problems they are facing are: introduced species, air pollution, water pollution, increase in solid waste, possible extinction of species, and more vehicles.

Ms. Machado Berrera and her colleagues feel everyone needs to contribute in the care and protection of the islands. Teachers at the Escuela Galo Plaza Lasso School are trying to do their part by motivating the students to care about the environment through engaging and fun environmental activities.

I have heard several times throughout this trip about the troubles with a population increase on the Galapagos Islands. Many people are concerned about this issue. Some people recognize the environmental impact, while others see the economical issues related to it. I am thankful there are teachers like Ms. Cecilia Machado Barrera addressing the Galapagos population issues in the classroom.

School Visit In Santa Cruz

Part of this Toyota International Teacher Program includes visiting schools in the Galapagos. All of the school visits were arranged for Thursday, October 4th on the island of Santa Cruz. Five of us were assigned to the Colegio Miguel Angel Cazares, a middle/high school in Puerto Ayora. We were welcomed at the school gate with open arms.

The principal, assistant principal, and a science teacher took us on a tour of the garden area and greenhouse. The school is working on several environmental projects, one of them pertaining to native and endemic plants and introduced species. The students grow hundreds of plants from seeds and cuttings. As the plants grow, they are transplanted on the school grounds. All of these plantings are endemic or native plants, meaning they are naturally found on this island or in Ecuador.

In the meantime, the students have been getting rid of the introduced species on the school grounds. Introduced species cause trouble for the native species because they usually out compete the native species and spread rather quickly. The school in also working on an ecological path that will wind its way around the school grounds and to an outdoor classroom. This outdoor classroom is situated in a small volcanic crater. The students are clearing the underbrush so that they can install ampitheater seating made out of the native rock and cement. They expect their outdoor classroom to be ready by 2008. One of the attractions of the location of this outdoor classroom is that natural geographic strata are visible in one section of the wall. This entire project is being funded by a Toyota grant awarded to the school as a result of last year’s teacher forum.

The staff at the Colegio Miguel Angel Cazares is very enthusiastic about the possibility of communicating and sharing student work from Harrington Middle School. The school was also given an Apple laptop to help facilitate communication between the United States schools and the schools in the Galapagos.

The teachers that joined me at the Colegio Miguel Angel Cazares were Shannon Hill from the John Cooper School in the Woodlands, Texas, Kelli Ramer from the New York State School for the Deaf, Joe Green from the Pope High School in Marietta, Georgia, and Preston Lewis who teaches at the South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind.

Picture link: http://www.mtlaurelschools.org/administration/mbpage.php

Anything besides tortoises?

Hi, Mrs. Barrett! How's the Galapagos? I got a question about the Charles Darwin Research Center. Is the only thing they study there tortoises? And if they do, why don't they study other endangered animals? Do they have separate centers for different animals? Are there many different endangered species on the Galapagos? Hopefully none of these animals are endangered for long! Well have a safe and nice trip and I hope to see you soon!

Amanda Pd. 2

Amanda, good question about the Darwin Research Station. In addition to tortoises, they have a land iguana conservation program. The station is also involved in many other projects throughout the Galapagos; projects that help protect native and endemic plants and animals. One such project was on the island of Isabella. There were 150,000 feral goats on the island. This huge population was depleting the vegetation on the island, leaving very little for the endemic species, like the tortoises. After the majority of the goats were eradicated, the vegetation came back in three months and species that were in trouble benefited. This was the largest successful eradication project done in the world. The CDRS also get involved in educating students about the environment and challenging them to create solutions.

I don't know exactly all the species that are endangered, however, over the years, the Galapagos has had few extinctions and still has >95% of its native species. The islands of Hawaii have lost approximately 50% of their native birds alone. All is not lost in the Galapagos.

Stupid, as in dumb?

Why is the bird with the blue feet called ''stupid''? It looks stupid, but is it really stupid (as in dumb)?

From,
Taylor in 3rd Grade (Ms. Barrett's niece)

Taylor, thanks for the good question. What looks so dumb about the booby?! The reason the booby was named so was because of its behavior when it was first discovered. They walked a little clumsy and were not afraid of humans. Because of this, the Spanish called them bobos. Read the journal entry posted on September 28th by Bobby, one of my students in period 8. He answered your question! Thanks for the question, Taylor.

Migrating People

I'm glad that you arrived safely and are enjoying your trip. Your family, friends and classes are also enjoying your trip while you're on it! What a wonderful way for all of us to learn.

I know that the Galapagos are known for its endangered and rare animals and, of course, its beauty. But I wonder also about the people. I am curious about the schools you have visited, how alike and different the children are, what they have, and what they don't have. If the population is exploding, then there has to be a cross section of people from around the world. How do the locals feel about the tourists and the migrating PEOPLE!?!

Also, one of your students mentioned the funding for the islands. I'm curious to know whether the tourist dollars alone can support the park?

Enjoy the rest of your trip and have a safe trip home. Be sure to bring photos or your computer to George's 50th party!

Your sister in Medford,
Patti

p.s. Love those "not so smart" birds!

Patti,
Thanks for participating! I visited two schools so far. Both were on the island of Santa Cruz. I plan to do a post on the visits today. The middle school children seem very much like the students in my school. I´ll give you more details when I do the entry. I am meeting a group of Galapaguano teachers from the San Cristobal island tomorrow morning, and I will be spending all day Monday and Tuesday with them. I get some additional information from them about the students, schools, and educational system. Thanks for the questions!

Red-foots & Blue-foots

I've decided to answer my own question from September 21st, asking about the red-footed booby. The red-footed booby, like the blue-footed booby, lives on the Galapagos Islands. Also there is another booby that lives there called the masked booby. As I researched this, I also found the answer to Savannah's question, about sexual dimorphism. You can tell which booby is the male and which is the female because of their voice. Male boobies make an asthmatic whistling sound while the females croak. Also the blue footed boobies can be distinguished because the females have a ring of dark pigment around their pupil (making them look bigger than the males). You can read more about the boobies on http://www.rit.edu/~rhrsbi/GalapagosPages/Boobies.html

Pam - pd.1

Thanks, Pam for the information. You are correct about the three species of boobies on the Galapagos Islands. And thanks for telling me how to distinguish the male blue-foot from the female. I definitely could have used that help today when I saw a pair of them at Tortuga Bay. Now I am ready for more field work!

Marine Iguanas

Our day started with a 6 A.M. hike to Tortuga Bay on the south side of Santa Cruz Island. The white sand beach reminded me of our New Jersey beaches. I wondered why the sand was not black from the volcanic rock. I found out it is because the sand on this beach was formed from coral and sea shells, not volcanic rock.

As we walked down the beach, we watched for wildlife. We saw sanderlings, ruddy turnstones, oyster catchers, brown pelicans, yellow warblers, and then, finally, a marine iguana! I had been waiting to see them since arriving on the Galapagos Islands! Just like the tortoises, the marine iguana were very easy to photograph. (See photo link below.)

We saw one marine iguana, then two, then three, and soon dozens! The longer and harder we looked at the lava rocks on the beach, the more iguanas we spotted. Their black bodies camouflaged very well against the rocks. In contrast, the orange-red sally light-foot crabs stuck out like sore thumbs! (See photo link.)

We also saw two blue-footed boobies on our hike, but I'll tell you about them later. In a few days we are going snorkeling on Lobos Island where we should see more blue-foots, and I hope to get video on them.

This link should bring you to a page of photos from the Tortuga Bay hike:
http://www.mtlaurelschools.org/administration/mbpage.php

Smuggling

I was wondering, have there ever been any records of someone trying to smuggle an animal or plant (material) off of the Galapagos Islands?

Greg

Greg, I am sure someone has tried to illegally remove plant or animal material from the islands, but hopefully they got caught! For those of you that don't know, 97% of the Galapagos Islands are protected as a national park, and national parks have rules. Take a look at Alex's post on September 19th entitled, "Park Rules."

"Is it different from Mt. Laurel, New Jersey?"

How are the Galapagos Islands different from here (Mt. Laurel, NJ)?

Caroline

Thanks for the questions, Caroline. Yes, the island of Santa Cruz looks different from Mt. Laurel. There is less congestion here on Santa Cruz, however, the population is increasing (see the "Galapagos Population" post by Sanil). There are fewer cars, there aren't any huge shopping areas or large grocery stores, and the homes are much smaller than what we see in Mt. Laurel. People seem to life a simpler life. However, many people from the United States may think the life is harder because people here on the islands do without many of the luxuries we are afforded in the US.

But this island has its share of problems, and fortunately for us, one of these problems we don't have to deal with in the United States. It is the lack of clean, fresh water. We are not allowed to drink the water that comes out of the faucets here on Santa Cruz. It is contaminated. In our hotel, there is a container of water on the sink that we must use to brush our teeth. We also have to drink bottled water. Can anyone find out exactly how the water here on the islands is getting contaminated? Ten-point BioBuck offer!

"Meetings and Stuff"

I wanted to ask a question about your trip. Are you going to have meetings and stuff or are you going to travel as a group and just go around the island? And where are you going to be staying during the trip too?

Sonal pd.1

Sonal,
Yes, we definitely have meetings...everyday! The Institute of International Education (IIE) and Toyota have arranged for us to have discussions with several people on the islands: educators, conservationists, students, etc. so we get a good understanding of the educational system on the islands and the environmental programs that are taking place. I spent yesterday morning at a school. It was really fun! (Yes, I miss school!) When I get back, let's send some projects or something down to them. I would like to share your work with them.

We are on the island of Santa Cruz for another day or so, then we travel to San Cristobal. I hope I can stay in touch with you at San Cristobal.

I'll post pictures of the school visit soon. Yes, we have meetings!

Charles Darwin Research Station

We spent part of yesterday at the Charles Darwin Research Station, an organization that in trying to conserve the Galapagos tortoise. Before seeing the tortoises, we spoke to the education outreach person, Sandra Tapia. She shared with us a pilot program they are doing with schools on Santa Cruz. By providing environmental lessons and activities, they hope that the students will maintain an interest in the natural environment, learn to solve environmental problems, and develop environmental values and ethics.

After our meeting, we walked around the research station with our naturalist guide, Morris Garcia. He explained the work being done at the research station. I thought you should meet Morris and listen to him as he explains some of the work being done at the Charles Darwin Research Station.

http://www.mtlaurelschools.org/mbmovie3

Check out the Galapagos tortoises!

I hope this tortoise video works!

www.mtlaurelschools.org/mbmovie2

Here at last!

After a long day on airplanes and at airports, we finally made it to the Galapagos Islands! We arrived in Ecuador around 11:00 P.M. on Tuesday night, got a few hours sleep, and then boarded a flight to the islands.

Our plane touched down on the island of Baltra by noon on Wednesday. Baltra looks like a desert. We saw a few finches flying here and there, but not too much of anything else. The United States used Baltra as a military base during WWII to keep a watch over the Panama Canal. Rumor has it, the marine iguanas on the island were used as target practice. There are no more iguanas on Baltra today. We gathered our luggage and left the airstrip.

A bus took us to a ferry to get to our first destination, the island of Santa Cruz. As we crossed the water, we saw our first frigate birds, blue-footed boobies, sea lions, pelicans, and more! Our long journey was worth the wait! The boobies were diving into the water head first for their meals, and the sea lions were playing near the dock. The frigate birds soared high in the air, but there was no trace of the red skin fold on the males’ throats. They only expand this red, balloon-like throat pouch when they are trying to attract a mate. I am not sure if it is mating season for the frigates, but I sure hope so!

We boarded another bus and headed to the highlands of Santa Cruz. It had been arranged for us to visit a center that teaches the locals about sustainable living. You may have read about sustainable living or heard the term on the news. It is basically the ability to live without depleting our resources (water, energy, etc.) and ruining our environment. The center is open to teachers, students, farmers, fishermen, and anyone else who wants to learn how to live sustainability. They also teach about organic agriculture, invasive species, habitat restoration, and more. Sustainable living is not a topic that only islanders need to learn about; it is an extremely important global issue. The center’s vision is to promote harmony between nature and people and to create a model that can be used worldwide.

After our discussions, we took a hike. Guess what we ran into? The Galapagos tortoise! We saw one after the other. They are huge animals! In all, we saw at least a dozen of them. I put together a video for you. I hope Internet connection is good enough to upload the clip. If not, I'll try again at the next island I visit. Stay tuned!

Welcome to the Galapagos...Not!

Visit the web address below to view a video clip from day 1:

http://www.mtlaurelschools.org/mbmovie1

or try this:

http://youtube.com/profile?user=barrettgalapagos

Galapagos Population

Hey Ms. Barrett, are you excited to be going to the Galapagos? Well, I just wanted to ask you some questions. What areas of the land are you going to be working on? What is the population of people living on the island? What kind of weather conditions are the Galapagos experiencing everyday. I hope you enjoy your trip. See you in two weeks.

Sanil Pd.8

Sanil,
I can't believe you just asked about the population of the Galapagos. At a meeting today, I found out that since 1980, the population of the Galapagos has increased 833% since the 1980s - from 3,000 to 28,000! That is pretty scary!

For the answers to your other questions, check out "A typical September day" by Allie (9/27) and "Where will you be working?" by Mike C. (9/26).

Does the salt burn?

Hey Ms. Barrett! How's the Galapagos so far? Well, I have a question about the marine iguanas. I was wondering about the salt that dries on their backs. Wouldn't that burn their backs in the heat? Salt usually does that at the beach to my skin. Maybe it helps the iguana. And do the iguanas move from parts of the island when conditions change on other parts? Do the marine iguanas interact with the tortoises or the blue-footed boobies? Maybe they stay away from each other for certain reasons! Maybe I can answer some of these but it would be nice for you to answer some too! Thanks! Have a nice trip. Can't wait to see you.

Amanda Pd. 2

Thanks for your email, Amanda. I leave for my voyage Sunday morning. First, I have to go to California for some meetings. Then on Tuesday, all of the teachers will fly to Quito, the capital of Ecuador. We will stay in Quito one night. Then on Wednesday, we fly to the Galapagos. I can't wait! I plan to post entries along the way.

Marine iguanas, like all reptiles, are covered with scales. The scales must protect their bodies from the burning sensation you feel after swimming in the ocean. Our outer covering (our skin) is more sensitive to that. I was reading about the iguanas last night, and I read their heads are always encrusted with salt because they "sneeze" it out! This is a great way to get rid of the salt in their bodies.

I'll keep an eye out for the interactions among the species while on the islands. Thanks again, Amanda, and thanks for helping process the monarchs while I am away!

The more I read, the more questions I have!

The more I read, the more questions I have!

I have read that the blue-footed boobies travel to most of the islands north and south of Ecuador, but they don't know if they migrate further than that distance. They usually live in very large colonies so there are always some of them nesting (in pairs). Do you know if they stay with their mate for life?

When you stay there, will you stay at the Darwin settlement or in one of the hotels for tourists?

I read that there are only 54 sites open for tourism and that they recommend people take cruises to see more of the islands. Will you be taking a cruise during your time? Are people allowed to go in the water (diving, snorkeling) on their own or only as part of organized tours?

How do they protect the islands? Do they have island security? Do they have water security (like our Coast Guard)? Who pays for it - donations or government funding?

Where do the settlement employees get emergency care if needed? Are they transported by boats or helicopters?

Are their illnesses that you can be exposed to from all of the animals and birds? Did you have to get special immunizations? Are the animals at risk from any particular human diseases?

Mike C's mom, (pd 8)

Mrs. C.,
Excellent questions, and thanks for joining us! Moms are welcome also!

First, thanks for the booby migration information. Many species in the Sulidae family pair for life.

I will be staying in hotels while on the islands. We do need to travel to a few of the islands, and we will do that by boat. I am not sure if people can snorkel or scuba dive on their own; it may depend on the island. But don't quote me on that! I hope to dive while on the trip. If it is possible, I would go through a dive shop.

I did not need to get immunizations for the trip, however, I've already have several from my trip to Africa last summer.

Hey, Mike, how about you helping out with the rest of the answers to your mom's questions?!

A typical September day

I was wondering exactly how hot it gets down in the Galapagos. I think it's odd how you said that penguins can live there. I'm just curious what the average temperature is on the islands on a typical September or October day. Also, does it ever get cold in the winter since it's right along the equator?

Allie, pd. 9

Allie, it does seem very odd that there are penguins around the Galapagos Islands. This is because of the Humboldt Current (read Cara's entry "Not typically tropical" dated September 19th). I just looked up the ten-day forecast on weather.com for the Galapagos. The temperature will be in the low 70s every day. We'll have to do some research to find out what the temperature is year round, or maybe I can just take another trip to the islands in the winter!

"Stupid Fellow"

In class you mentioned that the blue footed booby had a Spanish connection to how it got its name. Well I looked it up on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue-footed_Booby and found the answer. It says that the blue-footed booby got its name from the Spanish word Bobo. Bobo means in Spanish “stupid fellow”. It also says that they were very clumsy on land, but also can be very tame. That is kind of weird. It also mentions that it is part of the Sulidae family which comprises ten species of long-winged seabirds. Now that is interesting.

Bobby, pd. 8

Gracias, Bobby! Now you know where the phrase, "don't be a booby" comes from!

Where will you be working?

I have read that there are 13 large islands, 6 small islands, and 40 islets. Will you be working in one place all two weeks or will you be traveling around to the different islands? My second question is will you be bringing any plant specimens back and will they survive in our area?

Michael C. pd:8

Thanks, Mike, for your questions. About bringing plant specimens back - No way! It is illegal! Take a look at the "Park Rules" entry posted by Alex on September 19th. The islands are a national park, and guidelines MUST be followed to help preserve the organisms and their environment. The very first rule is:

No plant, animal, or remains of such (including shells, bones, and pieces of wood), or other natural objects should not be removed or disturbed.

While in the Galapagos, I will be staying on Santa Cruz and San Cristobal. One other island I know we will visit is Lobos Island. This is an excellent island to observe Galapagos wildlife. We'll snorkel Lobos also. I found a great website that gives descriptions of the Galapagos Islands.

http://www.southernexplorations.com/galapagos-IslandDescriptions.htm

Marine Iguanas

I don't know if you can post this or not, because it's not a question it's a fact, but I was on the web looking at the Galapagos Islands, and found that the blue-footed booby is not the only unique animal on the islands. There is also an iguana that is called the marine iguana. It's an amphibious creature, but is only on the Galapagos Islands. I read that when the iguana is cold, it really can't move so it's more vulnerable to predation. I thought it was interesting because in class we only talk about the blue-footed booby, but now there's another animal you can look out for on your trip.

Erin
period 8

Congratulations, Erin! You are the first person from period 8 to post an entry!

I have been trying to entice students to talk ask about other species on the islands, however, many students seem to focus on the blue-footed booby (hummm...). Anyway, yes, the marine iguana is a fascinating creature of the islands. I can't wait to see them. They grow to about one meter long! That is a huge iguana! Your note about the iguana being sluggish when cold is typical of reptiles. They often need to sun themselves in order to warm up because they are ectothermic. Their bodies cannot produce a great deal of internal heat, so they must rely on the environment for warmth.

You may not have asked a question, but you actually answered one! Read the "Endemic Species" entry posted by Spencer on September 19th. The marine iguana is found nowhere else on this Earth! What a treat it will be to see them!

I have a dream...

I am so excited for you about your trip to the Galapagos! I have been very interested in those islands myself, but far too lazy to research them! Still I have a dream to visit them some day! Some of the things I was wondering about the Islands are..

-compared to your typical Jersey shore how polluted are the beaches?
-other than the tortoises you mentioned, are there any more endangered species on the islands?
-what species are you most looking forward to seeing or learning about?
-you've mentioned unique animals on the islands, but are there any unique plants?

Those are just some things I've been wondering about! Have a great time!

-Sophie

Sophie,
Wow! Thanks for your thoughts and questions. First off, "too lazy to research them"??! Get ready to work! You tell me, what animals are endangered or threatened on the islands?

Did you ever hear of succession? (Look that one up also!). I am not sure of exactly what kind of plants I will see on the islands, however, what will be interesting is seeing succession at its finest. Plants will be growing on what seems to be bare rock. These 'pioneer species' lead the way for animals and other plants. These changes over time will lead to a community of organisms in a place that was once only volcanic rock and ash.

What do I want to see most or learn about? Everything... marine iguanas, Galapagos tortoises, Galapagos penguins, finches, boobies, frigate birds, sea lions, Sally light-foot crabs, sharks... all of it. I can't pick just one thing. Also, I look forward to visiting the schools, meeting the students and teachers, and keeping you updated on my blog!

I know the Galapagos had a major oil spill back in 2001. I hope to find out what impact the spill had on the islands and wildlife. I am glad to hear you are interested in the New Jersey marine environment. There are many organizations working hard to keep our beaches clean, including Clean Ocean Action.

Keep your dream alive! You will get to the Galapagos one day!

Migration

Shade, pd. 2

I was wondering, do the blue footed boobies migrate. If so, where to and what time of the year?

Good questions, Shade. We can't help but think about migration around this time of the year. Our monarchs are heading to Mexico, and many of our birds are flying to Central or South America. Can someone help us with this question? Are the blue-footed boobies migratory?

Sea Turtles

I recently went to the Hawaiian Island Maui, and I swam with turtles. According to the locals in Maui, the turtles were raised in a preserve. I would like to know if the turtles in the Galapagos Islands are raised in preserves, or are they on their own when it comes to mating and nesting?
 
Rachel pd.2

Rachel,

I know green sea turtles nest on at least one of the Galapagos Islands, Bartolome. Read Amanda's blog entry entitled, "Charles Darwin Research Station" dated September 22. She inquired about the land tortoises, and I explained ways in which the scientists are trying to help them. I am not sure if they also work with the sea turtles at the research station. Great question! I will have to find out. This past summer I spent two weeks on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai. I saw many sea turtles while scuba diving. They are beautiful animals! I also saw some endangered Hawaiian monk seals. There are only about 1,300 left in the wild. Did you have an underwater camera by any chance?

Island Culture

Sonal, pd. 1

I wanted to know what kind of culture and ethnic background the Galapagos people have. What languages do they speak? What religions do they have? Etc.

Thanks for your questions, Sonal. I believe five of the islands are inhabited, so I wonder if each island takes on a flavor of its own. I will have to investigate these topics for you during my visit.

Questions to be answered

Students, the directions about getting published on our blog are pretty far down at this point (the newest blog entries are on the top). The entry titled "Do you want to get published? Read on!" from September 16th explains how this blog works. Remember, you can ask questions, answer questions, illustrate, or find resources.

There are several questions on the table to be answered:

"Scientific Names" by Alex on September 21
"Predator-Prey Relationships" by Crystal on September 21
"Are there red-footed boobies also? by Pam on September 21
"Blue Morpho" by Stacey on September 21
"Natural Predators" by Aura on September 19
"Park Rules" by Alex on September 19
"Will I need an umbrella?" by Caroline on September 19
"Endemic Species" by Spencer on September 19
"Islands, Islets, & Rocks" by Pam on September 19
"Not typically tropical" by Cara on September 19
"Sexual Dimorphism" by Savannah on September 19
"What makes the islands so special?" by Om on September 19

Get involved and stay involved! You will be better prepared for our Galapagos Gala when I return!

mbarrett@mountlaurel.k12.nj.us

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

Scientific Names

I was wondering, what's the scientific name for the blue-footed booby?

Alex pd. 5

Alex, your question is about classification. All of the (discovered) organisms on this Earth have been classified or grouped. The levels of classification are domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species. The last two levels of classification, genus and species, make up the organism's scientific name. In class we have been studying O.e., the protozoan parasite that infects monarchs. O.e. is short for Ophryocystis elektroscirrha, the scientific name for this protozoan. Many scientific names are Latin or Greek based and may be challenging to read or say!

Ornithologists

Jazmin (2nd pd.)

According to www.galapagoscruises.us/useful_information/galapagos_name.htm, these beautiful islands got their name from the tortoises found on the island come from. Due to the tortoises' resemblance with a Spanish saddle, they were baptized with its name GALAPAGOS. Throughout the years, the name "Galapagos" was given to the islands. That is why when we talk about the Galapagos Islands we are talking about a group of islands full of these enormous tortoises.

Jazmin also wanted to share an excellent website she discovered:
www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Blue-footed_Booby.html

Jazmin,
Thanks for the information. The website you found is fantastic! Cornell University has a great ornithology lab (guess what ornithologists study?).

Predator-Prey Relationhips

Crystal (5th pd.)

What does the blue-footed booby eat? Also what eats it?

Crystal, thanks for the great questions! You are asking about the boobies' predator-prey relationships. The blue-footed booby feeds in a very special way. I am adding to your questions, what adaptations allow these birds to feed the way they do? I look forward to getting the answers to our questions!

Are there red-footed boobies also?

Pam in first period asks...

I've heard of the red footed booby, do they live there too? Also, I noticed that the blue footed booby has a blue beak, does the red footed booby have a red beak, or a blue one?

Pam, thanks for your questions. Maybe we can get Michele to illustrate a red-footed booby for our blog!

Blue Morpho

Stacy, period 9

I was wondering if there any other species of butterflies living in the Galapagos Islands besides the Blue Morpho Butterfly you were telling us about in class? I found out some information about the Blue Morpho Butterfly. Its scientific name is Morpho menelaus. It lives in South and Central America, including the Galapagos Islands, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Venezuela. It is a neotropical butterfly, which means that they are part of a geographical division in South America. The females are are not as brightly colored as the males and have a brown edge with white spots surrounding the blue area. The Blue Morpho Butterfly has a wingspan of about 6 inches (15 cm). For food, they drink juices of rotting fruit using their straw-like proboscis (mouth).

Stacy,
I had mentioned in class seeing the blue morpho in Ecuador, South America. That is great you found in your research that they are found on the islands. I hope I see one on my expedition. A few years ago while doing a bird study in the Andes of Ecuador, I saw the blue morpho in the wild. Before that day, I had only seen them in pictures. It was such a beautiful sight! Only the upper part of the wings are blue; the bottom of the wings are brown. When the butterfly is flitting around, it flashes blue, brown, blue, brown, because of this color variation. Thanks for the information, Stacey.

It was an accident!

Shade' (Pd. 2) discovered...

On March 10, 1535, Thomas de Belanga discovered the Galapagos Islands by accident! When traveling to Peru, his fleet was shipwrecked. On the islands, Belanga saw enormous tortoises. That is why the islands are named “Island of the Tortoises!”

Thanks for your input, Shade! Now we know exactly why the islands were named Insulae de los Galopegos or Island of the Tortoises!

Seasick!

This is random, but Charles Darwin went to the Galapagos Islands on a ship named the Beagle (I don't know if it's the food or the dog, but it's most likely to be latter). Well, he had major sea sickness during his trip, so that expedition was the only one he had using a ship.
-Manyan, pd. 1

Manyan, did you know that Darwin's voyage lasted five years? If he had problems with seasickness, that must have been one very long boat ride!

Natural Predators?

I was wondering if animals and plants in the Galapagos Islands had any natural predators. Then I found this information from one of the web pages I visited. "The native animals, lacking natural predators on the islands, are defenseless to introduced species and fall prey." Introduced species were the animals and plants brought to the Galapagos Islands by humans. Is this supposed to mean that the natural species are going to be run over by these newcomers? I surely hope that there is a way to stop at least some of it.

Aura
Pd. 1

Great thoughts, Aura! Introduced species are a serious problem everywhere, even here in New Jersey. It is very possible for introduced species to out-compete native species. I have read that feral animals are a serious problem for the tortoises, iguanas, and even the penguins. I hope there is a way to stop them, too! I am sure I will find out about programs focused on saving the native species. When I do, I will let you know!

What will you study?

How did you find out about this program, and will you be studying the different mammals and species or something else?

Nicole, pd. 1

Nicole,
I found out about the program at a science convention. I couldn't believe such a great program existed! I feel extremely fortunate to be one of only 24 teachers from the United States selected to participate, and I am very thankful to Toyota for funding such an incredible trip!

The program will focus on the environment as a whole, so I hope to study as many of the animals as possible!

Park Rules

I was wondering what type of animals live there? and How close you can get to them? Do you get to interact with them or only observe them?

Alex pd.9

Alex, a few entries ago I discussed the tameness of the animals on the islands. Even so, there are rules that must be followed. The islands are a national park, and guidelines must be followed in order to preserve the organisms and their environment.

1. No plant, animal, or remains of such (including shells, bones, and pieces of wood), or other natural objects should not be removed or disturbed.
2. Be careful not to transport any live material to the islands, or from island to island.
3. Do not take any food to the uninhabited islands, for the same reason.
4. Do not touch or handle the animals.
5. Do not feed the animals. It can be dangerous to you, and in the long run would destroy the animals' social structure and breeding habits.
6. Do not startle or chase any animal from its resting or nesting spot.
7. Stay within the areas designated as visiting sites.
8. Do not leave any litter on the islands, or throw any off your boat.
9. Do not deface the rocks.
10. Do not buy souvenirs or objects made of plants or animals from the islands.
11. Do not visit the islands unless accompanied by a licensed National Park Guide.
12. Restrict your visits to officially approved areas.
13. Show your conservationist attitude.

Will I need an umbrella?

Caroline from pd. 4

I'm wondering what kind of weather the Galapagos Islands get? Do they get a lot of rain, or hot dry days?

Also, do you know how many different animals live there besides the blue footed booby?

Caroline,
Thanks for the weather question. I need the answer so I know what type of clothing to pack!

Your second question deals with the diversity of the islands. Excellent question! Do you think the diversity would be greater on the islands or on the mainland?

Endemic Species

Are there any animals that live only in the Galapagos Islands? If so, what are they?

-Spencer, pd. 1

Good question, Spencer. The term endemic species is used to describe organisms that are confined to a particular geographic region (like the Galapagos Islands). Well, class, what are the islands endemic species?

Islands, Islets, & Rocks

Is it a chain of islands or one big island?...if it is a chain of islands, how many are there?

---Pam (period 1)

Pam,
Jeff stated in an earlier blog entry that there are thirteen islands. He is correct; there are thirteen large islands (greater than 10 square kilometers), but the chain also includes six smaller islands and over forty islets! There are also many small rocks and islets that remain unnamed.

What is the term for a chain of islands?

No Fear

Jade (period 9)
I was wondering if there was anything besides its blue feet that made the blue-footed booby bird really unique. Today in class you talked about how they like to dance, but I was wondering if there was anything else unique about them.

Good question, Jade. Something that is very unique about all of the animals on the Galapagos Islands is that they really have little or no fear of humans. This behavior allows visitors to get very close to the wildlife. I am sure this will provide some great photo opportunities!

"Not typically tropical"

All of the information below is credited to Volume 6 of the Lands and Peoples reference books, which are published by Groiler Incorporated.

The Galapagos were founded in 1535 by Tomas de Berlanga. Apparently, he and his crew stumbled upon an island that was bare-except for the dirt and the cacti, which were an excellent source of water.

When I read a passage that described the islands as, "not typically tropical", I had answered my own question of "What is the climate like?”. It explained that though the islands are very close to the equator, they can have cooler temperatures because of a current called the "Peru Current". Therefore, the Galapagos can home organisms that thrive in cooler temperatures and species that survive in warmer temperatures, which leads to diverse wildlife.

Also, the chain of islands is a province of Ecuador, and is carefully preserved and observed; there are rare species on each island.


Cara, pd. 1


Cara, you are so right about the cold water current sweeping by the islands. I believe the current is also referred to as the Humboldt Current. Guess what bird species is present at the equator because of this cold water current? Many people would never believe that this species can be found at the zero latitude line!

Shall we dance?

I'm wondering how these birds (blue-footed boobies) get those blue feet? Does something cause them to be blue? Is there something special about these blue feet?

Stacey
Pd.5

Stacey,
One thing I know about the blue feet of the blue-footed booby is that they are instrumental in their courtship dance. I have a book on my desk that talks about how the dance is performed. Remind me to read the passage in class.

Sexual Dimorphism

Savannah from 1st period was wondering, how can you tell a male blue footed booby from a female? Do the females have different color feathers? (I know usually the males have brighter colored feathers.) Do they migrate? If so, where? How long do they live?

Savannah, you are right about many of the male birds being more brightly colored than the females of the same species. One theory is that the females do the selecting of the mates, so the male must look good to get the girl! Your question actually refers to what is called "sexual dimorphism." You are asking if there is sexual dimorphism in the species, meaning, is there a difference in the appearance in the males and females (size, color, etc.). Two local examples of birds with sexual dimorphism are the eastern goldfinch and northern cardinal. You will be able to give me many more examples after we do our bird study!


I look forward to hearing the answers to your questions because I am a bird watcher!

Underwater Volcanoes

Jeff (period 1) has some information for Kevin about how the Galapagos Islands were formed...

The Galapagos Islands were formed about 4 million years ago. Underwater volcanoes erupted, and layer, by layer, the molten rock built itself up to the surface. There are now 13 islands that make up the Galapagos islands. 2 of them still have active volcanoes. (Isabella and Fernanadina)

I also have a question.
How did the land animal, like the land iguana, get to be on the island?

Excellent question, Jeff! Let's brainstorm possible answers to this question in class. We will see what your peers come up with!

I don't believe I will be going to Isabella or Fernandina, but I sure will remember when I am on their neighboring islands that those two islands are active volcanoes!


Spencer from 1st period wants to add...
The last eruption was on Isabela on October 22, 2005. Isabela and Fernandina are the two youngest islands and are the most volcanically active.

Natural Surfers

From Artemis (pd. 2)...

I am interested in knowing if the islands have people on them or not? Also, I am a surfer. By chance do you know if the waves are nice there? I always ask people who have been places if there are waves. Are there dolphins there? I like the dolphins. Did you know they are natural surfers that ride the waves by jumping in front of them and riding it. It is a spectacular site! I have seen it before.


Artemis,
Great observation of the dolphins' behavior in the waves! You are very fortunate to have witnessed it. Yesterday Sonal posted a question wondering what marine mammals are found around the islands. I just found a website that states there are three species of dolphins living near the islands: bottle-nosed, spinner, and common dolphins. (http://www.tortoisetours.com/islands-wildlife2) I haven't seen dolphins riding the surf, however, I have seen hundreds of dolphins bow riding. Two years ago I did a three-week study on a NOAA ship in the Pacific Ocean. Guess what we were studying? Cetaceans! (Look it up, you'll be pleased!) Also, on the right hand side of this blog page under the subtitle, "More journals from the field", you will see a link to my entries from my study at sea. Check it out when you have time. And Artemis, I will remember to check out the surf, just for you!

What makes the islands so special?

What is the reason that the Galapagos Islands are special, because of the animals that live on them or that that it's the birth place of Darwin's Evolution Theory? Also, how many different types of species live on the Galapagos?

-Om
1st Period

Island Formation

Kevin from period 1 would like to know, "How were the Galapagos Islands formed?"

Good question, Kevin. And when were they formed?

Well, Greg...

Fray Tomas de Berlanga founded the islands. It was named Insulae de los Galopegos or Island of the Tortoises.

by Sonal (pd. 1)

Sonal, my questions to you (or anyone listening) are, when did de Berlanga discover the islands? Was it by accident? Where was he from? and why did he name them the Island of the Tortoises?

Thanks for your input, Sonal. Sonal also wants to post a question:
What kind of marine mammals live around the Galapagos?

As a scuba diver, I share your interest in marine life. Ocean life fascinates me, even the sharks! Can someone help us out with this question?

First Question

Who discovered the Galapagos Islands, and why did they name them that? (Greg, pd. 1)

Thanks for the question, Greg.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

We are fortunate in Mt. Laurel to have much of the latest and greatest when it comes to technology in our schools. We are hoping I can connect with Harrington students through iChat while in the Galapagos Islands. There is a camera built into my laptop that will allow me to videoconference with my students. Mrs. Barbara Ahr, the technology coordinator in the district, is trying to help make this possible. We just don't know exactly what technology the islands offer. So let's keep our fingers crossed in hopes I can bring the Galapagos Islands into our New Jersey classroom!

Do you want to be published? Read on!

I just brainstormed a list of questions and topics that I thought you (students, colleagues, family, and friends) would like to know about the Galapagos. Actually when I mentioned the trip to my classes, some of you asked me questions... “Where are the Galapagos Islands?” “What animals live on the islands?" "Is Mr. Edwards going on the trip?" (Many of my students had Mr. Edwards for 7th grade science.) In one class, we briefly discussed the endangerment of the tortoises, and one student asked, "Is anything being done to help them?"

I want to make this blog interactive; I want it to be OUR blog. So instead of me publishing answers to questions that I think you have, or publishing information that I think you should know, I want you to be in the driver’s seat. If you would like to be published, here's how:

1) Ask a question you want answered.
2) Answer questions that are posted.
3) Illustrate pictures for the blog entries (I would really love a blue-footed booby for next to the title!).
4) Find excellent resources for people interested in finding out more about the islands (books, websites, articles, etc.).

You can email me your submissions (mbarrett@mountlaurel.k12.nj.us) or give them to me in school. Please make sure you type “Galapagos Islands” in the subject area of the emails. If duplicate submissions come in, we'll have to do it on a first come, first serve, basis. Good luck!

PS Some of you may be wondering if this is extra credit. Just do it! You'll be smarter for it! (We can discuss its worth in class!)

Homework

I have received a couple more Fed Ex deliveries from the Galapagos program directors since the initial welcome package. This week I received my flight information. I just realized I haven't mentioned the dates on my trip. I leave on September 30th and return October 12th.

One of the packaged I received over the summer included two books for me to read. Yes, class, even some teachers get summer homework assignments! My Father's Island, by Johanna Angermeyer, is a true story about a girl (Johanna) whose father and his four brothers fled Nazi Germany for the Galapagos where they lived like Robinson Crusoes. Unfortunately, Johanna grew up in the states and dreamed of returning to the islands her father had loved. Reading about Johanna's family life on the Galapagos Islands got me even more excited about my trip. One day during our trip, we will even be eating dinner at Angermeyer Point on Santa Cruz Island! The other book, written by Michael H. Jackson, is a natural history book entitled Galapagos. I'm still working on that one. It details the natural history of the plants and animals found in the Galapagos.

Any questions, students?

Did you know there was a bird with blue feet…big, blue, webbed feet? Well, there is. It's the blue-footed booby! And the male blue-footed booby dances for the female, showing off his big, blue feet! The Galapagos is also home to the red-footed booby and the masked booby. (Do they also dance for each other?) Besides the boobies, the islands have frigate birds. The male frigates have a large, red throat sac that inflates like a balloon. Sound attractive? If you were a female frigate, it would! (Why are these birds called frigate birds? Isn't that a type of ship?) Marine iguanas can only be found on the Galapagos Islands. (Marine iguanas? Does that mean they live in the ocean?) These lizards grow to about three feet long and feed exclusively on algae and seaweed. I also hope to see giant Galapagos tortoises. Years ago, people realized these tortoises were in dire need of our protection. Fortunately, the Charles Darwin Research Station was established to help save these animals from extinction. (Why were they endangered? What made the population decrease? How many are left in the wild?) Speaking of Darwin, the Galapagos Islands are the birthplace of his theory of evolution. (What does his theory state? Didn't it have something to do with the beaks of finches?)

In class, we talked about the importance of asking scientific questions. Be observant and ask questions. Be that two-year old who always asks, "Why?”

What is the purpose of the trip?

I know it sounds like I am taking two weeks off from school just to have fun, but isn't learning supposed to be fun?! There are many reasons for this expedition, and all pertain to the teaching and learning that occurs in my classroom. The program seeks to inspire the teaching and learning of environmental stewardship by meeting the following objectives:

1) to develop creative teaching strategies using the Galapagos as a case study;
2) to provide teachers with opportunities to speak with experts, community advocates, and participate in group learning activities;
3) to build global skills and perspectives;
4) to broaden awareness about environmental sustainability and stewardship;
5) to expand collaborative skills through professional presentations;
6) and to foster continued collaboration between US and Galapagueño educators.

Don’t the Galapagos Islands sound like the perfect classroom setting for these lessons?

Thank you, or better yet, gracias!

In all of the excitement preparing for my trip, I want to thank some of the people who helped make this trip possible. I can't think of a better way (other than buying them souvenirs in South America!) than to post their names on my blog.

Gracias to Robert and Judy for your support from day one...Lyn and Irene for brainstorming, proofing, and looking at my work with fresh eyes...Donna and Chris for your letters of recommendations...Mom for the many meals that provided me with the energy to slave away at my work...Toyota for funding the program...the IIE selection committee for choosing me...and gracias to the Mt. Laurel Administrative Team and Board of Education who are allowing me to take off two weeks during the school year!

And students, I want to thank you in advance for behaving for the substitute!

I am going to the Galapagos!

When I saw a Fed Ex package from Washington DC on my porch during the last week of May of 2007, I knew it had to be good news. One month prior, I had applied to participate in an international teacher program in the Galapagos Islands. The recipients were to be notified by June, and June was only a few days away. I put my heart and soul into the application essays, revising and editing almost every day for about a month. My hard work paid off! The congratulatory letter stated I was one of twenty-four United States teachers selected to participate in the Toyota International Teacher Program through the Institute of International Education. I am going to the Galapagos Islands!