Our recent ‘blog’ reported the excellent news about the Galapagos Islands, Lonesome George – a tortoise thought of for decades of being the last member of a virtually extinct species, possibly becoming a father – further news has been released regarding the finding of yet more eggs!

Park Wardens at Galapagos National Park have now found a second patch of eight eggs. These eggs are undergoing their incubation period at the Charles Darwin Research Station where conservationists explained…… “most eggs are incubated at a slightly warmer temperature to produce a higher rate of female off-spring (tortoises lack the gender gene and temperature determines length of incubation, which determines gender). This is critical to ensure a faster recovery of the population, currently with a single member – George. The females that have shared George’s home for many years now, belong to the closest species to the Pinta Tortoise”.

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As any of my existing clients will already know I LOVE Costa Rica. It is without doubt the most special country I have ever visited or sold. In the 10 years I have been working here and selling Costa Rica I have always had amazing trips there and all our returning clients also come back loving this very special destination.

I try to visit at least every 12 to 18 months and this year I decided to take one of my best friends there for our annual trip away. September and October tend to be the rainiest months but I seem to go in September a lot and I have to say I always have an amazing trip. This trip was no exception.. Now my friend likes adventure I am not so keen. So a compromise was made.. How I ended up white water rafting and flying along a cable 650 metres above the ground I have no idea – it does not sound like much of a compromise to me!!!

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Great news from the Galapagos Islands – their oldest living resident, George the Tortoise is about to become a father! We recently received this press release from the Galapagos National Park.

“The world’s most famous tortoise, and the living symbol of the Galapagos National Park, has taken an important step into saving it’s species from imminent extinction.

A last member of its kind, a male tortoise was found alone on his home island Pinta in the early seventies. Soon brought to the safety of the Charles Darwin Research Station, and named Jorge, or George in English, by the park wardens that took care of him. The word soon spread that Lonesome George was a living extinction unless a female was found for him to reproduce.

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