The holidays are coming up and you want to do something different this year with your family. Bring a little more excitement to the holidays. You want to travel simple, but you’re on a budget. Well, we want to let you know that at Galapagos Inc, we are offering discounts for easy traveling. Our cruises are great for families because we have all the amenities that you need that would make your holiday or even just a simple vacation a breeze.

A common criticism of evolution is a lack of observable examples to study. Due to much of evolution taking place on a large time scale (think thousands of years) macroevolution has not been demonstrated in an observable species. That is the nature of macroevolution. Microevolution on the other hand has been shown multiple times to happen precisely the way that Darwin predicted it. Recently in Nature Darwin’s very own Galapagos Island finches have demonstrated a possible speciation. On November 16th Nature reported that evolutionary biologists have found a new, odd species out. After a drought in the islands one group of finch was isolated from its fellows.

Over the subsequent generations this group of finches has evolved on a different track than the finches on other islands. This has been shown to the point of the new breed can not successfully mate with the other finches in the area. Evolutionary biologists Peter and Rosemary Grant of Princeton University suggest that this inability to breed is due to a difference in the mating song of the birds. The new finches are unable to attract the other variety of finches with their song. In contrast to Darwin’s idea that it would take a very long time for a species to evolve in a noticeable way this new data suggests that change can occur rapidly in situations like those in the Galapagos.

While this change in the finches of the Galapagos is significant, the change may not be permanent say the Grants. If the finches were to continue to be isolated speciation would be more likely but due to the comingling of the breeds once more this temporary speciation is unlikely to develop further. This does give evolutionary biologists one more example of microevolution and further supports the evolutionary hypothesis. Other examples of microevolution are prevalent however so this new example only adds to a considerable bulk of evidence. Some examples of microevolution include resistances to pesticides and herbicides. In humans the resistance to medicines by pathogens is a very relevant example. HIV, gonorrhea and many other infections all develop resistances over time. This new evidence of microevolution is particularly appealing to scientists because Charles Darwin himself observed the finches of the Galapagos Islands and it is facinating that they can still provide relevant information even today.

- The Examinar

Almost 11.5 tonnes of lobster was fished between 7 August and 8 October in the Galapagos Marine Reserve (RMG), according to a Fisheries Monitoring Process report by the Galapagos National Park (PNG) Directorate.

Some 9,165. 61 kilograms of red or pronghorn spiny lobster (Panulirus penicillatus) and 2,322.11 kg of green spiny lobster (Panulirus gracilis) were captured In the first two months of the fishing season, which concludes next 13 January.

The fishery will be opened for 160 days, or until the maximum catch quota established – 30 metric tonnes of red or pronghorn spiny lobster – is reached.

No quota was fixed for the fishing of green spiny lobster.

The following data was registered In the three ports authorised for lobster tail landings:

• Ayora Port, Santa Cruz: 4,115.41 kg;
• Villamil Port, Isabela: 3,691.39 kg;
• Baquerizo Moreno Port, San Cristobal: 3,680.92 kg.

In addition, 98.12 kg of lobster tail were seized, for different reasons: they did not fulfill the set minimum size for capture, which is 15 cm; they were pregnant or presented signs of having had their pleopods (abdominal legs) brushed or cut,Periodico de Negocios del Ecuador reports.

The minimum catch size was fixed at 26 cm in length overall, from head to tail, and tail size at 15 cm

Fishers who target lobsters should be registered in the PNG and be in possession of the original copy of their valid license, which accredits them as artisanal fishers of the Marine Reserve.

Meanwhile, the inspections carried out by the PNG Directorate to confirm that the pronghorn spiny lobster fishery within the RMG fulfills the regulations established is not limited solely to monitorings of the product in landing wharves, nor to inspections made at fishing sites, but also involves raids with the Environmental Police in seafood restaurants and other retail sites.

During the last raid undertaken, 16 commercial establishments at Ayora Port were inspected.

In four of these establishments, lobsters that did not fulfill the minimum size for capture were indeed found, as were pregnant lobsters and those that had had their pleopods cut or brushed.

Article from Fis.

1. Find a Base

From Guayaquil (you can also fly from Quito), we flew in to Baltra on TAME, the Ecuadorian national airline. All flight prices are the same, at US$117.90 each way, regardless of date/day. AeroGal also does the same route, with similar airfares.  Whether you are taking a cruise or DIY, you still have to catch a plane to the Galapagos islands due to its distance from the mainland.

From Baltra, the only way to get accommodation is to take an airport bus (free) to the crossing, where you can catch a boat (US$0.80) to the neighboring island Santa Cruz. From there, it is a 1-hour bus ride (US$1.50) to the port, Puerto Ayora.

During the entire week that we spent on the Galapagos islands, we based ourselves in Puerto Ayora, and from there, we took excursions to other islands. We’d heard beforehand that Puerto Ayora has more budget accommodation and is generally cheaper than other islands.

2. Get Cheap Accommodation

We found our reasonably-priced hostel, Hotel España (us$30 per double room) after looking around for 15 minutes. We usually prefer to turn up and hunt for a good bargain rather than book it online. There tend to be cheaper ones, other than those online and in guidebooks.

Most hostels are located on the main street of Puerto Ayora, where the bus/boat drops you. There are definitely hostels cheaper than US$15 per person per night, it really depends on what you’re looking for. If you’re the no-frills type of traveler who doesn’t give a care in the world where you stay, then you will definitely find something cheaper.

3. Make Your Own Food

To cut down on food expenses, we made our own lunchboxes. There is a big supermarket right by the port, where taxi boats dock. Many small grocery stalls along the main road also sell yogurt, bread and other basic food products.

Restaurants in Puerto Ayora can be quite expensive, at double the price of usual Ecuadorian food on the mainland. Most of them cater to tourists, and serve international food. Check out small local joints along the alleys. The food street opposite the hospital, is the best budget eating-out spot with economical burger stands and barbeque joints.

hopping on Day tours

To see the other islands, we went on day tours organized by operators (cost around US$70). These tend to be easier to arrange and cheaper than going on a cruise. Most of the islands are impossible to visit on your own, except for big islands like San Cristobal and Isabela which rightfully deserve a few nights’ stay.

MoonRise has an excellent reputation for reliable and reasonably-priced tours. Although our boat broke down in the middle of the open sea, MoonRise still managed to get us onto a different boat and continue with our day tour.

Academy Bay Diving S.A. (Av. Charles Darwin, galapgs_academybay@hotmail.com) offers affordable diving packages (around US$110 for 2 dives)  that includes lunch, all equipment and even underwater photos.

5. Take Public Transportation

Puerto Ayora is a small town, and everywhere is within walking distance. However, most interesting sites require a certain amount of walking, eg. tortuga bay is about 20 minutes’ walk from the center.

Public water taxis are a cheap and fast way of getting around Santa Cruz island, eg. when you want to visit Las Grietas.

6. Keep Track of your Expense

By keeping check of what you spent on a daily basis, you are definitely more aware and conscious on what you will spend on.

These great tips were from Tips from the List.

With the increasing popularity of the Galapagos Islands, there have also been a lot of problems that have arose. As the inspiration for Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution, many people value and take pride in the species that live on the Galapagos Islands. However, there have also been plenty who have overlooked this meaning with their commercial motivations and interests–putting money over the destruction of the natural Galapagos environment.

Luckily there’s a solution that may help this problem. Bryan Nelson of EcoWorldly discusses in this piece below a new K-9 unit sent to patrol the Galapagos and protect it from poachers. What do we think about it? Love it.

K9 Unit to Patrol the Galapagos Islands for Poachers

Dogs and their guides have been transported to the Galapagos Islands as part of a K9 project to track down poachers and reduce crime against wildlife.

The K9 units are now set for regular inspections, beginning at airports, harbors and random checkpoints on all three islands in order to halt illegal poaching activities which have plagued many of the islands’ unique flora and fauna.

The project had been delayed for months due to a lack of funds, which were needed to construct a dog kennel for housing the K9s on Isabela Island. But thanks to generous help from volunteers from the Sea Shepard Society, fundraisers were organized specifically for the kennel’s construction and the project is finally ready to proceed.

The islands contain a vast number of endemic species, many of which have no natural predators and so are relatively tame, making them prime targets for poachers. Isabela Island, largest of the Galapagos Islands, also has the highest level of poaching, making the construction of the kennel there paramount to the K9 Project’s success.

The Galapagos are one of thirty places to have been placed on the UNESCO World Heritage Danger List due in large part to increased poaching. For instance, just last year 53 sea lions (13 pups, 25 youngsters, 9 males and 6 females) were found killed with their heads caved in.

Hopefully now with K9s on patrol, it’ll be the beginning of the end for that kind of despicable activity.

What does Andrew Marr, former political editor of the BBC, have to say about the Galapagos Islands? A lot of great things, apparently.

In an interview with Neil Tweedie of the UK’s Telegraph, Marr, now chairman of the Galapagos Conservation Trust—a British charity that works to preserve species unique to the islands which are close to distinction—discussed his fascination with the Galapagos archipelago.

It was a single travel visit to the Galapagos in 2002 which got him hooked on the beauty of the islands. Marr claims, “I fell in love with the place. There is nowhere more interesting or extraordinary. The islands look different, smell different and the light is different. And, of course, there are these extraordinary species.”

Marr celebrated Galapagos Day—September 15^th—by discussing the islands. He believes people should definitely visit the islands once in their lifetime, all while acknowledging its “delicate ecology” by traveling responsibly.

It was Charles Darwin’s observations of the beaks of the Galapagos Island finches which led him toward his revolutionary theory of evolution, according to this article from Dan Shapley of TheDailyGreen.com.

Unfortunately, there has been a decline in these revolutionary (or, evolutionary) finches in the 1920s as a result of released feral goats. These goats consumed through an abundant amount of brush on the 226-square-mile-island—leaving the finches with no environment to thrive in.

However in February, the fourth largest island in the Galapagos Archipelago, Santiago, was declared “goat-free.” The largest “invasive mammal eradication” effort was completed according to the American Bird Conservancy—allowing the finches to be free to return and rightfully live in the shrubs and trees of the Galapagos Islands.

Welcome back, our lovely finches! Hurry and make travel plans to see the “Finch Renaissance!”

Charles Darwin

The Galapagos Islands are most widely known for the contributions that its unique species made to Charles Darwin’s revolutionary book, “On the Origin of Species.” As the summer traveling winds down, be sure to stop by Artdaily.org’s recommendation: the Smithsonian Institution Libraries in Washington D.C. to get a glimpse of its new exhibition, “Darwin’s Legacy.”

The exhibition will be on display through September 12, 2010 and will feature the first edition of Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species”—a book featuring the many species of the Galapagos Islands which helped change and understand the course of modern science.

Also showcased is Darwin’s silk neckerchief, Joseph Henry’s desk diary, a background map of the Galapagos land iguana and mockingbird specimens from the collections of the National Museum of Natural History, and more.

If you were able to travel, cruise, and explore through the uniqueness and exoticism of the Galapagos Islands, we encourage you to look further into its contributions to science and history at the Darwin Legacy exhibit at the Smithsonian.

At the start of 2009, National Geographic covered a story about a new species recognized on the Galapagos Island of Isabela. Apparently, Charles Darwin had missed this one!

This species is the pink iguana—discovered in 1986 was spotted by park rangers. Only in January of 2009 was it recognized as its own species. Don’t let the pink coloring of this lizard fool you; the pink iguana holds plenty of historical value.

This animal split from other iguanas about five million years ago. However, it may be splitting from existence on the islands in the future. The population of these rosy-colored reptiles is “alarmingly small” and threatened by ferel cats who feed on the young reptiles. Goats as well are competitors for food on the island.

As researchers are excited about the recognition of this species, they are looking for more funds to protect this new species which adds to the uniqueness of the Galapagos Islands.

From the United States to South America and Europe, the best experiences come from traveling internationally. However, before you decide to book your adventurous journey across the globe, there are plenty of things you need to keep in mind when jumping on that plane and completing your international travel expedition. Straight from the U.S. Department of State, here is some international travel information that you should keep in mind.

Travel Warnings: Travel warnings are issued when the State Department recommends Americans to avoid travel in a particular country. This is based on relevant information that the state is aware of.

Travel Alerts: Travel alerts are informational alerts from the state to American travelers. These alerts may be about potential terrorist threats, short-term risks, etc. and are made when there is a specific threat that cannot be countered.

Country Specific Information: This is information made available by the state about every country in the world. (Yes, EVERY country!) This specific information may include the location of the U.S. embassy or consulate in each country, health conditions, unusual currency and entry regulations, crime and security information, drug penalties, or minor political disturbances. This does not offer advice as to which country to travel to, but it gives information that is helpful for travelers in deciding which specific country they would like to venture to.