International Study Program
Galapagos Islands:
A group of Quincy University students had the rare opportunity to explore the Galapagos Islands and parts of mainland Ecuador as part of a biology class on the Ecology of the Galapagos taught by Drs. Joe Coelho and Tama Weisman. The members of the class flew to Ecuador after Christmas and spent five days in the Galapagos Islands, famed for their influence on Charles Darwin’s thinking about the revolutionary concept of evolution. Students visited the islands of Baltra, Santa Cruz and Floreana, seeing a diversity of wildlife species including giant tortoises, marine and land iguanas, lava lizards, blue-footed boobies, lava herons, white-tipped sharks, Darwin’s finches and many more. Students swam, snorkeled and kayaked in the waters around the islands, seeing a variety of colorful fishes, pencil urchins, and sea stars. Sea lions often swam very near, curious about their fellow swimmers. The class rang in the New Year in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island, where, as part of a big celebration crowds gathered downtown, life-sized puppets were burned at midnight, fireworks were shot off, and the band played until sunrise. The students explored interesting geological features, such as pit craters and lava tunnels, of these volcanic islands. On mainland Ecuador, students visited a cloud forest, hiking up to a waterfall, which many entered for a traditional New Year’s renewal of the spirit by bathing in its waters. They also visited an orchid reserve, a butterfly conservatory, and a site with many exotic hummingbirds. Along the way, the group stopped at El Mitad del Mundo, a monument that marks the equatorial line. The class visited Cuicocha, a beautiful natural lake nestled in the Andes, and the town of Otavalo, which hosts the largest outdoor market in South America.
-Dr. Joe Coelho, Assistant Professor of Biology
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