Greatest Show On Earth
Tuesday, February 6th, 2007That’s what National Geographic calls Galapagos Islands. I would have been skeptical after what I saw in Africa, but it’s National Geographic making that pronouncement. Well, being the ultimate skeptic, I was, but I decided to have a little faith in my favorite world journalists. I am more than happy to report that I have seen what may be the greatest show in the Universe. Best of all, my sister, Julie, joined me for such an amazing experience. We were lucky to see wildlife acting in ways that they just don’t exhibit anywhere else. Sea lion pups “walk” up and nuzzle you. Sea lion parents frolic with you in the water. Blue-footed boobies put on a courtship dance including exchanging sticks as if they are exchanging vows and wedding rings. Reptiles called marine iguanas swim in the ocean. Eleven species of giant tortoises exist on the islands. Sharks swim with fish and humans and all are content. Sea lions play with iguanas and crabs. Pelicans and just about every other animal allow humans to walk or swim within a meter of them without balking. I’m still at a loss regarding why the animals allow human contact. The common wisdom is that they did not have contact with humans and did not learn to be afraid of humans as predators, but this seems to be a myth when you learn about buccaneers wiping out most of the tortoises and that fishing and other hunting went on until the last few decades. One day we were snorkleing at Devil’s Crown and I was acting like the third sea lion with two real ones. I looked down and three meters below us was a shark! I stopped acting like a sea lion immediately knowing I was the slow one, but I had to wonder why the sea lions would hang out around a shark. Another day and we found two sharks cuddling near a large school of butterfly fish. I kept my eyes on them. I looked for the group and they had all turned their backs on the sharks as if that was ho-hum, just sharks. I guess even the humans get conditioned to hang out with the predators without worries very quickly in the Galapagos.
vagabondrick