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WHAT'S NEW IN GALAPAGOS

Highlights and news, from the Islands

We bring you recent news from the Galapagos Islands. Like all places on the planet, the Galapagos is in constant change and undergoing continual challenges. INCA strives to provide the most ecologically-friendly Galapagos travel experience for our guests, as we have since 1976.

Valentine's Day & Darwin Day
Photo Contest Results

Winners of our inaugural snapshot show-off

Inspired by the dual worth-celebrating special days of Valentine's Day, February 14th, and Darwin Day, February 12th, we launched our first "Galapagos Love" photo contest. The contest was open to former guests and for just one week, yet entries were numerous, enticing and amusing. Photos were judged by Weston Walker, our video editor and grandson of Wes Walker. Based on submissions, we decided on two categories: True love (and species continuation), Galápagos Style, and The lighter side of love in Darwin's Isles. Check out all winners and entries: Valentine's Day & Darwin Day Galápagos Photo Contest

Galapagos Fur Seals Head for Peru Waters

By Dan Collyns BBC News, Lima - Monday, 8 February 2010

A colony of fur seals has moved 1,500km away from the Galapagos Islands, a Peru-based organisation which monitors the aquatic mammals has said.

The Organisation for Research and Conservation of Aquatic Animals (ORCA) says the fur seals have swum to northern Peru because of rising temperatures.

It is the first time fur seals have set up a colony away from the islands, Orca says.

Average sea temperatures off northern Peru have risen, monitors say.

Measurements from the Peruvian Geophysics Institute indicate the sea surface temperature in the northern Peruvian provinces of Piura and Tumbes have consistently risen from an average of 17C to 23C over the last 10 years.

The temperature is much closer to the sea temperature around the Galapagos Islands, which averages about 25C.

Now that the conditions of the sea around northern Peru are so similar to the Galapagos, they say, even more fur seals and other new marine species could start arriving.

Tortoises will be moved from Pinzón Island for captive breeding

Galapagos National Park Press release 2010-01-15

A group of 12 females and 8 breeding male adult tortoises of the species Geochelone eppiphium originating from Pinzón Island, were transferred to the Fausto Llerena Center for Reproduction and Captive Breeding of Giant Tortoise of the Directorate of the Galapagos National Park in Santa Cruz Island to begin a captive breeding program. Until last year, the rangers would collect the eggs laid in the wild and were artificially incubated in the same breeding center, the tortoises that hatched were reared in captivity for approximately 4 years and subsequently returned to their natural environment.

Now, these 20 individuals of the Pinzón species, share a corral specially built for their coexistence in the breeding center, under the constant care of the park rangers who watch over the site.

A similar program of captive breeding has been maintained for many years with the species Geochelone hoodensis, on Española island, whose effectiveness has enabled the recovery of a population that was once threatened.

With the implementation of this captive breeding program of Pinzon tortoises, technicians of the DGNP expect to collect about 150 eggs a year, with a hatching rate of 70% under controlled temperatures.

2010 Galapagos Prices Held or Reduced

And sometimes it's even better...

These challenging economic times have hit us all. We've found some ways to decrease trip costs and operating expenses, yet continue to deliver the same highest quality adventures that we have for over 30 years.

Our Five Ways to Get More Galapagos for Less:

All INCA 2010 Galapagos trip prices have been held to 2009 levels
	2010 Galapagos prices held at 2009 rates for all yachts, all itineraries* Each year as our costs for hotels, yachts, services and more increase, we have kept our trip price increases to a minimum. It takes a bit of guesswork, since we must set our trip prices long before we receive our costs from suppliers. We have just learned that the owners of our Galapagos yachts will keep their 2010 prices at 2009 levels. As the yacht makes up the majority of the trip cost, we will be keeping our 2010 trip prices at 2009 levels. Your INCA trip in 2010 will cost no more than if you traveled in 2009..
Fuel Charge included on Reina Silvia trips
	All trip prices on the Reina Silvia from July 11, 2009 on will include the Galapagos Fuel Charge, a tax imposed by the Ecuadorian Government on fuel for all Galapagos yachts. This means a savings of $175 per person.
Fuel Charge included on Integrity trips
	All Integrity trip prices starting September 1, 2009 (excluding year-end Holiday departures) will include the Galapagos Fuel Charge, a tax imposed by the Ecuadorian Government on fuel for all Galapagos yachts. This means a savings of up to $250 per person.
Fall Season Integrity Prices
	New Fall Season Integrity trip prices—see note below—beginning September, 2009 on all trips are reduced $500 per person.

To see how these new rates apply to any of our Galapagos adventures, just click on any trip in the left-hand sidebar, or visit Our Adventures for all trip information links.

You may also give us a call at 510-420-1550—we'll help you select your Galapagos adventure for 2009, 2010 or any time.

New Fall Prices for Galapagos!

For the first time ever, special Fall pricing on all Galapagos Integrity adventures

Leaves will be falling this autumn, but long before then our prices are falling for our Integrity Galapagos Adventures.

The owner of the Galapagos yacht Integrity has just instituted lower, Fall Season rate for all departures September through mid-December 2010.

We are passing this unprecedented opportunity on to you! All Integrity departures on all Fall Galapagos itineraries between September and mid-December are now $500 lower and include the Galapagos Fuel Charge.

Just click on the trip of your choice in the left sidebar to view the new rates.