|  Supports
one of the largest human populations of the five inhabited islands.
Some 4,000 residents are distributed between the cattle-farming
communities in the lush highlands and the coastal town of Puerto
Ayora.
Santa
Cruz, the most frequently-visited island in the archipelago,
is often described as the point of embarkation for any Galapagos
journey. Centrally located, it is only a short ferry ride away
from the Baltra airstrip, the most common entry point to the
islands. Santa Cruz made a perfect destination. A large island
with a variety of geology, wildlife and vegetation, all of the
Galapagos life zones are present on Santa Cruz.
Santa
Cruz is one of the four islands in the Galapagos that welcomes
overnight visitors. It is the best island to arrange extra nights
or to base a land based tour of the islands due to its central
location in the archipelago, services offered, attractions on
Santa Cruz and ease of logistics.
In
the town of Puerto Ayora, travellers can charter smarter
small boats to visit other Galapagos destinations. Here too,
you can visit the Charles Darwin Research Station to
see the huge land tortoises, or Galapagos, which once
flourished in the islands. The populations were decimated in
the early 1800s by the whaling ships that stopped in the islands
to fill their holds with fresh meat. Tortoises could be stored
by them without food and water for up to one year and still
could be used for a good soup. Learn at the research station
about their protection and conservation nowadays.
 Santa
Cruz has a very differing landscape, vegetation, and animal
life. Find at its shores mangroves and green, salt-tolerant
plants. The area just inland is arid forest, dominated by palo
santo trees and prickly pear cactus.
If
you carry on more inland the vegetation becomes denser and more
varied, slowly transforming into a region of tall trees, covered
with mosses and liverworts. These beautiful forests are home
to the vermilion flycatcher and many species of tree finches.
Look for the evergreen scalesia trees. Further interesting
are the miconia bushes and the pampa or fern-sedge
zone.
 The
variety found on Santa Cruz is manly due to its geological old
age. The younger areas of the island are marked by volcanic
formations. You can take a bus ride to the highlands and see
the "Twins" (Los Gemelos), two deep pit craters situated
in the Scalesia forest. Here you can see interesting bird life
or go for a trek through the giant lava tubes. The famous Cerro
Cocker is also an interesting example of volcanic formations.
On
the north shore of the island, accessible only by sea, is an
extensive mangrove lagoon called Black Turtle Beach.
Here in the peacefulness of the mangroves you can see turtles,
fish, rays, and small sharks. |
