Students Enjoy Visit to Galapagos Islands

Thirteen CUC students and 4 faculty members recently returned from a study tour that took them to the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador and the Amazon basin.  "Because the biodiversity of Ecuador is unparalleled it is hailed as nature's paradise on earth," said Dr. Paul Ramalingam, Professor of Biology, and one of the tour leaders.  "From the sea coast to the Andean mountains which feed the Amazon basin, the natural beautiy of every part of the country is a visual feast!"

Joining Dr. Ramalingam to lead the tour were Dr. Tennyson Samraj, Professor of Philosophy, Dr. Laurence Wong, Professor of Biochemistry, and Dr. Richard Bottomley, Professor of Physics and Business .   

Dr. Ramalingam reports, "The students and the faculty had a marvellous time that included river boat journeys to visit the Siona Indian community, observing the native medicine man, swimming in a lagoon, piranha fishing, playing with the pocket monkey (the world's smallest monkey), observing the colorful macaws resting on high branches while an anaconda with a full belly slept nearby on the bank of the river."

"As anticipated the Galapagos Islands, also known as the Enchanted Islands, offered

dramatically different ecosystems," said Ramalingam.  All are volcanic islands and 30% of the fauna and flora are endemic species.

Some of the interesting life forms students observed on the Galapagos Islands were: Tortoises, lava lizards, iguanas of land and marine ecosystems, Scalesia forests, sea lions, dolphins giving company to the sea cruise during the island hopping,  blue-footed boobies, red pouched frigate birds nesting on the islands, and, as expected, finches in numerous habitats.

"Hiking the slope of a volcano to see the 11 km diameter crater of the Sierra Negra, swimming with iguanas, and perhaps at a distance with a few reef sharks, are just a few of the unforgettable moments our students experienced," said Ramalingam.  Students' investigations ranged from medicinal drugs from the plants of Amazon to conservation of Amazon-Galapagos ecosystems.