Santa Cruz Highlands: Wild Tortoises in Their Natural Habitat
The highlands of Santa Cruz Island above Puerto Ayora have wild giant tortoises roaming freely through private farms that have been opened to conservation tourism; the opportunity to walk among wild giant tortoises in their natural highland habitat is the most extraordinary Galápagos experience
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Wild Tortoise Ranches
Several private ranches in the Santa Cruz highlands—Rancho Primicias, El Chato, and others—have wild tortoise populations that you can roam freely among; the tortoises graze in the upland grass, mud and farm ponds without any fear of humans; the experience of walking centimeters from a 150-year-old giant tortoise is humbling
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Highland Vegetation
The Santa Cruz highlands have a distinct vegetation zone - the garúa (fog) zone creates a permanently moist environment of Scalesia forest, mosses and ferns; the cloud forest is quite different from the dry lowland and supports different wildlife communities
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Lava Tubes
The Santa Cruz Highlands have extensive lava tube systems—the tubes, which form when the outer lava of a flow cools and the molten interior drains away, are accessible as cave walks; the geological history of the tubes and their distinctive cave fauna make them an extraordinary Galápagos experience
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Tortoise Migration
The giant tortoises of Santa Cruz undertake a seasonal migration - moving from the warm lowlands to the cool highlands during the dry season (June-December); the migration tracks are clearly visible as well-worn paths through the vegetation; turtles have used the same routes for thousands of years
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Galápagos Hawk
The Galápagos hawk - the islands' apex predator - is found in the Santa Cruz highlands; the hawks, accustomed to humans, land within meters of observers; hawks' evolutionary isolation means they have never developed a fear of humans and are remarkably approachable
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Short-eared owl
The Galápagos short-eared owl - which hunts by day in addition to night - is found in the Santa Cruz highlands; the owls hunt Galápagos and petrels; Observing a diurnal owl hunting among highland ferns and Scalesia trees is a memorable encounter with Galápagos wildlife