BALTRA Most people see Baltra just as their entrance point into the Galapagos Islands. It is one of the smaller islands but is important as it has the main airport (a second, smaller, one is on San Cristobal Island). However it is to Baltra that the scheduled flights from mainland, Ecuador, come. It was, at one time, a North American airbase and was built by the Americans during the 1939-45 war. But it is now used for commercial flights. There are no visitor sites or accommodation on Baltra but transport is available to Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. However, people on a previously booked tour are taken to the harbour where their boats will be waiting. A large number of birds can be seen at the harbour, mainly boobies and frigate birds. The Ecuadorian Air Force, the Galapagos National Park Service, and the Charles Darwin Foundation, signed an agreement in January.2002 to protect the land iguanas of Baltra Island from their largest causes of death: being hit by moving vehicles and hunted by domestic dogs. Since 1991, the Galapagos National park Service and the Charles Darwin Research Station have managed the Breeding and Repatriation Program of Iguanas on Baltra, and so far 15 iguanas have been run over by vehicles. The civilian drivers, in charge of cargo in Baltra, must sign an agreement to guarantee that they will follow the rules and regulations, as a condition for them to be allowed to operate in the island. As part of the Breeding Program, iguanas have $6000 invested in each of them, from the moment it is born to the moment it is put back on Baltra. |