Galapagos Trip - Animals on Santa Cruz

Sally Lightfoot crabs.

Sea iguana - a smaller one.

Grasshopper - colorful and as long as my whole hand.

Galapagos flamingos - a few of the ~ 300 bird population. 

A brown pelican in the mini harbor.

And the sea lion - on the planks along the hotel. Yes, its true, and we actually saw a young sea lion suck milk from its mother. 

Galapagos Trip - the beach on Isabella at the hotel

Fine sand - with some lava rocks in some areas - but a wonderful beach. No dirt or garbage, no dogs, no people. Animals up close - pelicans, and a surprise visit of a sea lion, pufferfish in shallow areas. Crabs, sea iguanas on the rocky parts. Absolutely wonderful.

(Galapagos trip part I, part II, part III , part IV, part V and VI )

Sand on the beach 

Chairs are 20 meters from the sea - separated by fine sand only.

Mangrove flowers on the beach 

Sally Lightfoot crabs

Empty beach

Wading bird

Coconut palm

Galapagos trip - Turtle breeding center

I guess even tortoises can run away. The small turtle breeding center on Isabella Island in the Galapagos Islands is small, but important and has become very successful as well. The giant land tortoises - which are endemic to one or several of the islands - are bred for many years before released.

(Galapagos trip part I, part II, part III , part IV, part V)

If I remember correctly, this is an old lady with 143 years on her shoulders, and the oldest member of her species.

And this is a beautiful acacia tree right at the entrance - where rock lizards are scuttling around and finches let us get closer than a yard.

Galapagos Trip V: some plant shots

Lots of plants we usually don't see.

(Galapagos trip part I, part II, part III , part IV)

Coastal plant on Isabella.

Caldera Plant on Isabella.

Ferns growing on trees on Isabella

Remote place on Isabella, grasslike plant with flower on lava.

Acacia - full of thorns, a large tree mainly thorns, at the turtle breeding center on Isabella

Coastal thorn thicket

Close by the tutle breeding center - no idea what plant.

Hibiscus at the Centro Cultural Metropolitano in the center of Quito.

Same place in Quito

... and same place ....

A yucca, same place.