My visit to the Galapagos Islands began with a week of volunteer work (thanks for the tip, Michelle!) with Purex Galapagos Foundation, a group on San Cristobal Island whose mission is to safeguard the fragile Galapagos ecosystem.

My first shift was with the Galapagos Tortoise Breeding Center, where baby tortoises are hatched and taken care of until they can be released into the wild. Tourists are instructed to never feed the tortoises; but our job as volunteers was to prepare a meal for them. That started with chopping down their favorite food, this leafy green plant with giant leaves. That’s me wielding a machete!

We then carried the leaves in bundles to designated spots in the forest. The tortoises can smell the food and immediately begin to congregate.

Other chores at this site included draining, cleaning, and refilling their watering holes, which the staff refer to as “turtle jacuzzis.”

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A couple doing their thing!

Baby tortoises at the hatchery.