Although I missed the Darwin Research Center, I did not miss seeing the giant tortoises. We drove through the National Park area up into the highlands, passing through several micro-climate zones. The vegetation became more lush and tropical, followed by a high prairie. After lunch we
walked across a farmer's fields where tortoises were likely to be found.
And there they were! The tortoises are just "there", existing only for themselves., eating,
sleeping, walking about, bathing. They are not social creatures so did not gather in groups, and are without predators (now that they are protected from man). A natural curiosity.
The tortoises' apparent lack of purpose in life is alien to westerners in the 21st century, but here on Santa Cruz humans and tortoises coexist quite tranquilly.
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