{"id":331,"date":"2017-07-04T19:59:23","date_gmt":"2017-07-04T19:59:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sarvepalli.net\/story\/?p=331"},"modified":"2026-02-08T03:21:32","modified_gmt":"2026-02-08T03:21:32","slug":"isla-endemica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/2017\/07\/isla-endemica\/","title":{"rendered":"Gal\u00e1pagos Islands &#8211; endemic and unique ecosystem"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_335\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-335\" style=\"width: 200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_0028.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-335\" src=\"http:\/\/www.sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_0028-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_0028-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_0028-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_0028-1024x768.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-335\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">View from Tijeretas &#8211; San Cristobal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Kiran (my son) and I got to visit the\u00a0Gal\u00e1pagos Islands &#8211;\u00a0\u00a0a fascinating archipelago admired for its unique collection of species and its exclusive ecosystem. \u00a0Darwin&#8217;s exceptional work in &#8220;Origin of Species &#8230; &#8221; started with endemic (unique to one location) nature of species he found in each of these islands.<!--more--><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">I found another fascinating thing about its simple ecosystem, no major predators (wild cats, wolfs, bears, snakes, etc.) and a friendly collection of animals and birds that you can almost touch &#8211; \u00a0I will write on this later. \u00a0Whether you are evolutionist agreeing with competitive selection, or a creationist believing solely in creation or someone in between in your belief, these islands provide for you plenty to wonder and ponder about. \u00a0Darwin&#8217;s lifetime was surely not enough to describe all that he had observed during his 5 weeks in The Beagle. \u00a0Darwin&#8217;s journey began in the island of &#8220;San Cristobal&#8221;, where Kiran and I got to travel as part of an environmental conservation trip with Projects Abroad.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Flying through Panama City, Panama and then Quito, Ecuador gave us plenty of time to brush up on some basic Spanish and also to get ready for a simpler life in South America.\u00a0\u00a0 Our Sunday was generally relaxed as we explored the Cerro Tijereta, diving into clean water to find plenty of fish &#8211; colorful triggerfish, clown fish, grunts, wrasse and more. \u00a0Soon our week of volunteer work started, when we were expected to stay busy with the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Study the Seal population in the three busy beaches of San Cristobal<\/li>\n<li>Harvest and feed Otoy or Xanthosoma plants to the Galapagos giant tortoises<\/li>\n<li>Clean up the invasive plant species at Galapagera reserve<\/li>\n<li>Survey the threatened Galapagos Petrel&#8217;s nest &amp; reduce rat population<\/li>\n<li>Observe L<span class=\"st\">a <em>Lober\u00eda <\/em>seabird population and nesting grounds<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Clean up the trash in the ocean<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_336\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-336\" style=\"width: 200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_0013.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-336\" src=\"http:\/\/www.sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_0013-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"133\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_0013-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_0013-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_0013-1024x681.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-336\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sun shining on juvenile seal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The seals were skillful in the water, playing and fishing with great agility and speed. \u00a0They were also asleep a lot as we surveyed their behavior in the beaches. \u00a0We found from survey there are about 12:1 ratio of adult females to alpha male seals. \u00a0The seals were usually healthy with few rare eye infections and some weaker juveniles. \u00a0The young pups were a delight to watch. \u00a0The juveniles absolutely ready to play with anyone in the water showing off their diving skills and revealing their love for communication (vocal and touch!).<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_338\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-338\" style=\"width: 200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_2814.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-338\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_2814-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_2814-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_2814-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_2814-1024x768.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-338\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fresh food delivery to the tortoises<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Harvesting Otoy to collect about 150 Kg of it in trucks and get it to the Galapegera tortoise reserve seemed like enough work, but we also got to clear the land from invasive plants so the tortoises could roam freely. \u00a0The tortoises\u00a0 surely enjoyed Otoy plants and their ability to roam about this reserve.\u00a0 The baby tortoises from 2 months to 2 years old were adorable tiny dinosaurs finding their way in little cages while being fed freshly chopped Otoy salad.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_339\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-339\" style=\"width: 200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_7447.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-339\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_7447-300x202.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"135\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_7447-300x202.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_7447.jpeg 648w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-339\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Endangered Petral in its nest in highlands<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Galapagos Petrel\u00a0 is endemic to the Galapagos archipelago, where it nests in five main islands including San Cristobal, otherwise these birds are true to their pelagic nature out far from the beaches in the ocean. The species is considered \u2018Critically Endangered\u2019, mostly due to the effects of invasive species (like rats and mice), which impair its reproduction.\u00a0 This trip to their nesting area was an invitation to get completely into muddy\u00a0 humid highlands and peer into their private lives.\u00a0 The rain from the night before made it plenty muddy and highly humid for us to traverse.\u00a0 We got to visit a number of petrel nests intruding into these recluse bird nesting area while trying to pack rat poison into little tubes for the invasive mammals to be kept under control.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_340\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-340\" style=\"width: 200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_0026.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-340\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_0026-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"133\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_0026-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_0026-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_0026-1024x681.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-340\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Baby swallow tail gull in the rock crevices<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>La <span class=\"st\"><em>Lober\u00eda <\/em>was a delightful place with its deep crevices of rocks right next to the ocean allowing great frigate birds, swallow-tailed gull and tropic bird to roost just like on perches and glide using the high winds from the ocean.\u00a0 The birds smoothly hang on to the wind and watch the people on the ground while also scanning the sea turtles underwater with great ease and beauty.\u00a0 We even found a swallow-tailed gull chick yawning while getting a peek of sun and exploring the world around before it will be ready to fly. <\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_341\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-341\" style=\"width: 200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_0737.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-341\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_0737-300x168.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"112\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_0737-300x168.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_0737-768x431.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_0737-1024x575.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_0737.jpeg 1040w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-341\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kiran with Liv (UK), Rebecka (CA), Olivia (UK), Mirte (NL) for the international team effort<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The next morning &#8220;activity&#8221; was to get into cold waters (about 55F or 12C)\u00a0 to clean up the trash being washed into the rocks.\u00a0 The swim from Pier-II point into Playa Mann beach was not for everyone to be able to accomplish.\u00a0 A bunch of cleanup work included removal of an old pipe, a large piece of rag cloth, a metal board, a soup can, bottles, ropes and plenty of junk washed over.\u00a0 I still thought it was surprisingly clean compared to Virginia Beach where I&#8217;ve seen whole leather briefcase underwater.\u00a0 This was also an opportunity to catchup in seeing plenty of colorful fish, octopus and a friendly seal which almost knocked Kiran around while playing with him.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_342\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-342\" style=\"width: 200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_0008.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-342\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_0008-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"133\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_0008-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_0008-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_0008-1024x681.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-342\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A friendly yellow warbler<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Many of the stops and few of the pauses in our trip, I got to reflect on Darwin&#8217;s fascination with this per-island endemic species and his resolve to explain it via the natural selection &#8211; focusing a bit more on the competitive selection.\u00a0 But I also got to ponder on another fact &#8211; a very simple ecosystem I noticed in which almost every creature had less fear of predators and definitely less fear of humans.\u00a0 This particular yellow warbler for example would have been willing to be hand-fed if I were able to settle and wait (which I myself have not really been good at).<\/p>\n<p>From my childhood, I have wondered if we can co-exist in such a friendly way with animals and nature learning to share our world.\u00a0 The idea did remind me of the &#8220;Wolf and the Lamb&#8221; account in Isaiah 11 as Isaiah reflected a period where there will be no need competition for survival but a promise &#8220;not harm or destroy&#8221; as we dwell together- Isaiah 11:9.\u00a0 As much as evolution seems now to have explained the past in a way that humans would like set aside God, what if need God more for the future? Especially to find a place where we can dwell together in peace (free from evil and free from sin)- humans with each other and animals along with the rest of the nature together without a need to <em>&#8220;harm or to destroy&#8221;!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kiran (my son) and I got to visit the\u00a0Gal\u00e1pagos Islands &#8211;\u00a0\u00a0a fascinating archipelago admired for its unique collection of species and its exclusive ecosystem. \u00a0Darwin&#8217;s exceptional work in &#8220;Origin of Species &#8230; &#8221; started with endemic (unique to one location) nature of species he found in each of these islands.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-331","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-travel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/331","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=331"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/331\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":349,"href":"https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/331\/revisions\/349"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=331"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=331"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sarvepalli.net\/story\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=331"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}