John
03-16-2009, 06:19 PM
The couple will travel to the Charles Darwin Foundation to visit a tortoise breeding centre and the enclosure for some of the adult reptiles.
The unit's most famous resident is Lonesome George - the last remaining giant tortoise from Galapagos' Pinta Island and the only known example of his species.
The wildlife on the volcanic archipelago was studied by 19th century scientist Charles Darwin and helped him develop his theory on the evolution of life.
The royal visit is timed to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth, the 150th anniversary of the publication of his revolutionary book On the Origin of Species and also the 50th anniversary of the Galapagos National Park.
During the 1830s the scientist spent five weeks on the islands that lie just over 600 miles from the Ecuadorian mainland and have been described as a "living museum and showcase of evolution".
The extreme isolation and harsh rocky landscape led to the development of a collection of animals, plants and insects found nowhere else on the planet.
Some of the well-known species include the land iguana, flightless cormorants, blue footed boobies - a bird - and Darwin's finches.
During their visit to Santa Cruz island the royal couple will tour an exhibition of sustainable tourism projects and attend a workshop to discuss the sustainability of the islands over the next 20 years.
The unit's most famous resident is Lonesome George - the last remaining giant tortoise from Galapagos' Pinta Island and the only known example of his species.
The wildlife on the volcanic archipelago was studied by 19th century scientist Charles Darwin and helped him develop his theory on the evolution of life.
The royal visit is timed to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth, the 150th anniversary of the publication of his revolutionary book On the Origin of Species and also the 50th anniversary of the Galapagos National Park.
During the 1830s the scientist spent five weeks on the islands that lie just over 600 miles from the Ecuadorian mainland and have been described as a "living museum and showcase of evolution".
The extreme isolation and harsh rocky landscape led to the development of a collection of animals, plants and insects found nowhere else on the planet.
Some of the well-known species include the land iguana, flightless cormorants, blue footed boobies - a bird - and Darwin's finches.
During their visit to Santa Cruz island the royal couple will tour an exhibition of sustainable tourism projects and attend a workshop to discuss the sustainability of the islands over the next 20 years.