Baltra Island, located at the center of the Galapagos Archipelago, officially became part of the Galapagos National Park (GNP) and thus part of the National System of Protected Areas of Ecuador, through Executive Decree 1784, dated June 15, 2009.
Posted by: intitravel | July 9, 2009
Baltra Island now part of Galapagos National Park
Posted by: intitravel | June 4, 2009
Flights for Sacha & Napo Wildlife Center
We have been informed that due to some logistical problems, the Lago Agrio airport authorities had to change flight schedules for Sacha Lodge and Napo Wildlife Center.
The new flight schedules for SACHA LODGE are:
Monday to Friday: Saturdays:
QUITO-LAGO AGRIO-COCA QUITO-LAGO AGRIO-COCA
Flight Tame EQ211 Flight Tame EQ207
Departs Quito:09h30 Departs Quito: 10h00
Arrives Lago Agrio:10h00 Arrives Lago Agrio:10h30
COCA-LAGO AGRIO-QUITO COCA-LAGO AGRIO-QUITO
Flight Tame EQ214 Flight Tame EQ212
Departs Lago Agrio: 12h30 Departs Lago Agrio: 13h00
Arrives Quito:13h00 Arrives Quito: 13h30
The new flight schedules for NAPO WILDLIFE CENTER are:
Monday to Friday: Saturdays:
QUITO-LAGO AGRIO-COCA QUITO-LAGO AGRIO-COCA
Flight VIP – D 328 aircraft, for 31 pax Flight VIP – D 328 aircraft, for 31 pax
Departs Quito: 07h55 Departs Quito: 07h00
Arrives Lago Agrio: 08h30 Arrives Lago Agrio:07h35
COCA-LAGO AGRIO-QUITO COCA-LAGO AGRIO-QUITO
Flight VIP – D 328 aircraft, for 31 pax Flight VIP – D 328 aircraft, for 31 pax
Departs Lago Agrio: 14h50 Departs Lago Agrio: 12h00
Arrives Quito:15h25 Arrives Quito: 12h35
As previously advised a transfer service using comfortable and safe ground transportation will be provided from Lago Agrio to Coca and vice versa.
Posted by: intitravel | June 2, 2009
Mosquito Threat to Giant Tortoise
By Matt McGrath
Science reporter, BBC News
The famous Galapagos giant tortoises could be at serious risk from mosquitoes that have developed a taste for reptile blood, experts have warned. Scientists say increased tourism means there is now a greater risk of a disease-carrying insect being transported to the islands. Local mosquitoes that have evolved to feed on reptiles could then pick up the diseases and pass them on. Galapagos wildlife has little immunity to mosquitoes due to their isolation.
The world’s largest living tortoises are an icon of evolution, growing so large on the isolated islands because of the absence of natural predators. But recent observations by scientists suggest that it is the evolution of mosquitoes that could now pose a very real threat to island wildlife. On the mainland of South America, the insects prefer to bite mammals but they have adapted their behaviour to favour reptile blood on the Galapagos.
Increasing tourism means there is now a concern about the arrival of infected mosquitoes carrying diseases like avian malaria and West Nile fever, against which giant tortoises and marine iguanas have no immunity.
The study was published in the US journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Arnaud Bataille from the University of Leeds in the UK carried out the research. He said that mosquitoes arrived on the Galapagos 200,000 years ago and were not introduced by humans as previously thought. But he said when the mosquitoes first arrived on the islands, the only mammals were sea lions.
“It [the mosquito] was looking for some blood. What it was going to find is these huge reptiles and marine iguanas, so I think it gave it a go and liked it a lot,” he said. In an effort to cut the risk of mosquitoes and other insects being transported to the islands, the Ecuadorian government now require planes flying to the Galapagos to be sprayed with insecticide. Similar measures have yet to be introduced on ships.
Posted by: intitravel | May 7, 2009
Galapagos – 2 for 1 Specials!
The luxury yacht Nina is offering a 2 for 1 special for Sept 1-8, 2009! More information on this yacht is available at http://www.discovergalapagos.com/Nina/
The Athala II is also offering a 2 for 1 special for Sept 1-8 and Sept 26-Oct 3, 2009. Please see http://www.discovergalapagos.com/Athala/ for more information and a link to the booking form for both.
These specials will not last long!!
Posted by: intitravel | May 7, 2009
Flu Precautions Put in Place in Galapagos
The National Park Service together with other relevant institutions in the Galapagos Islands have announced the following preventive measures at all main entry points to the Galapagos Islands in order to protect the fragile ecosystem from a possible infection with Swine flu.
- All employees at the airports and ports must use disposable gloves and masks
- Foot disinfection at the arrival gate of the airports in Baltra and San Cristobal and at the docks while embarking and disembarking- All arrival halls will be fumigated with a wide spectrum disinfectant prior to the arrival of each aircraft
- Any waste material must remain on board the aircraft and cannot be unloaded in the islands
- All passengers arriving to the islands must disinfect their hands with alcohol prior to leaving the arrival halls
Furthermore, the Ministry of Tourism is working closely with the private sector of tourism in order to centralize all the important and correct information regarding the measures that tour operators should take into consideration for their daily operations. Currently they are in the process of elaborating a leaflet that will be distributed to all service providers and arriving tourists.
International arrivals to Ecuador are currently limited to the main airports in Quito and Guayaquil; secondary airports are temporarily closed as a preventive measure. At this moment Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands have not reported any infected persons.
We will keep you updated about future developments.
