Santa Cruz Island
Our day in Santa Cruz Island couldn’t have been better! We started off by visiting one of the better-known research centers in the world, the Charles Darwin Research Station. After learning what the institution does for conservation in the Galapagos, we went up to the highlands to search for the famous giant tortoises in the wild.
Our guests stood literally just feet from the tortoises. Some were greatly impressed by the size and weight of these creatures whilst others were just meditating. I have to admit – with a bit of embarrassment – my mind flew away to the role of man and his incredibly destructive power over things. I came to the conclusion that the exceptional position of man in the world gives him no excuse for treating the natural world of nature in an irresponsible way. Seen in unity with his environment, man stands at the top of the whole hierarchy of the evolved world, and through him alone the world achieves its proper value. We need to understand that to shape the natural environment wisely, we should approach it with more reverence, a thing that the harmonious relationship between living creatures in the Galapagos brings home in a unique way.
Our day in Santa Cruz Island couldn’t have been better! We started off by visiting one of the better-known research centers in the world, the Charles Darwin Research Station. After learning what the institution does for conservation in the Galapagos, we went up to the highlands to search for the famous giant tortoises in the wild.
Our guests stood literally just feet from the tortoises. Some were greatly impressed by the size and weight of these creatures whilst others were just meditating. I have to admit – with a bit of embarrassment – my mind flew away to the role of man and his incredibly destructive power over things. I came to the conclusion that the exceptional position of man in the world gives him no excuse for treating the natural world of nature in an irresponsible way. Seen in unity with his environment, man stands at the top of the whole hierarchy of the evolved world, and through him alone the world achieves its proper value. We need to understand that to shape the natural environment wisely, we should approach it with more reverence, a thing that the harmonious relationship between living creatures in the Galapagos brings home in a unique way.
