Vampire finches: Evolution led these tiny birds to drink blood

For most people, the term “vampire” reminds people of vampires like Bram Stokers Dracula, younger crowds will think of evil heroes such as Blade or Buffy. Even vampire bats in Ecuador. Few people would think the small and cute finch could take on this role.

But there are “vampire finches” that feed on the blood of much larger birds. These birds are only found on the northernmost islands of the Galapagos archipelago (Darwin and Wolf), about 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) from the coast of South America at the hight of the Equator. The entire archipelago is rich in biodiversity, partly because they are isolated from the outside world. Creatures that enter the Galapagos Islands in some way must evolve in order to survive in the severely unhospitable conditions.

The vampire finch DRINKS BLOOD! There's little to no freshwater on their islands so the vampire finch usually resorts to this in times of drought.
They use their scapel-like beaks to cut open their victims beefre drinking their fill of blood. pic.twitter.com/a0uoigjvyB

— ġєиєяλኗʞ✇ḄยፕɎLġץΨ☍lʎʇnᙠⓇⓃⒶT҉๏เɭєፕ↫ (@Rubber0Cement) May 29, 2019

Darwin’s finch is one of these creatures. These finches are named after the naturalist Charles Darwin. The young naturalist collected various samples during his famous voyage on the BMS Beagle. The current population of this bird species evolved from common ancestors. Nowadays each sub-species has a different bill size and shape so that it can consume food that is local to the island it is confined to. For example, the cactus finch has a long slender beak and can eat the nectar from cactus flowers. Some species’ bills are adapted to smashing of seeds, while other species’ bills are more appropriate for consuming insects.

Different beaks to eat different food. Darwin’s finches, drawn by the ornithologist John Gould in 1845

In the Galapagos Islands, many species evolved and adapted to their confined island, for example the flightless cormorant’s wings shrank so it could swim better to catch fish as it had no land food or predators. Another example of evolution is the marine iguana, the only oceangoing lizard evolved so it could spend 1 hour at a time underwater.

But Why did Finches evolve into Vampire style bloodsucking animals?

The islands in general receive little or no rain at certain times of the year, vegetation is scarce and in many cases the only ground is a dry lava field. Both Darwin and Wolf are isolated, even from the other islands in the archipelago. Water is scarce and so is food specially June – December.

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A post shared by Chuck Graham, Carpinteria, CA (@chuckgrahamphoto)

Target birds, Nazca boobies

The result of 5 million years of evolution

At some point in the last five millenia (fairly recent from an Darwinian perspective), the finches were trapped on Wolf and Darwin and began to coexist with the large seabirds that nest on the island, masked and red footed boobies. Over time, it seems possible that the finches learned to eat the parasites found within the and skins of the Sulidae birds. This is actually “mutual assistance”: the boobies benefited from the prunning of parasites, and the finches had a means of survival in the dry waterless seasons. Since the beak of the finch is sharp it oftenly must have pierced skin, the birds adapted to be able to drink the blood and no longer had to chase worms and parasites, becoming Vampiric blood drinkers.

Blood Thirsty © Thomas P Peschak

This study was performed by Daniel Baldassare and Jamie Chavez, they had the rare opportunity to spend time on the isolated Darwin and Wolf islands (these are not visited by tourists and seldomly visited by scientists), here they studied the behaviour of the finches and were able to understand the role of evolution in their particular feeding habits.

The original article was published at https://theconversation.com/vampire-finches-how-little-birds-in-the-galapagos-evolved-to-drink-blood-153010 , you can read more here about the study of this unique species found only in the Galapagos Islands.

Visiting Lima

Adding a visit to Peru and Machu Picchu is probably the most popular extension to a Galapagos Cruise.   Time Magazine printed an article Peru’s Private Treasures at Museo Larco which brings about an interesting question that we get all the time – Is Lima Worth Visiting?

Lima is the international gateway to Peru and most travelers will at least pass through this city.  It’s airport is modern and efficient and has won the Best Airport in South America for three years straight.  So how about Lima itself?  If you have a limited amount of time,  plan your trip with more time in and around Cusco.  Cusco is a charming city and is the heart of the Inca Empire.  The area is a mix of colonial architecture, Incan and pre-Incan ruins and snow capped Andes Mountains.  By contrast Lima is on the coast.

If you have an extra day than visit Lima.  My recommendation if you are planning to visit the city – stay in the Miraflores District.  Located along the coast Miraflores is home to a number of hotels, restaurants, cafes and stores.  A perfect day in Lima would combine a visit to the Historic Lima and the central district with it’s colonial treasures including the Plaza Mejor, Spanish Balconies and Cathedrals.  While there stop in at Maury’s Hotel  for a Pisco Sour at the sight where the drink was originated.

Return to Miraflores for lunch and either dine along the coast at Rosa Nautica or for at the Restaurant Huaca Pucllana overlooking the nearly 2000 year old adobe pyramid built by the Lima and Wari Cultures.  After lunch a visit to the Larco Museum – the best archaeological Museum in Peru with some 9,000 years of treasures from all over Peru.   Finish you day with a delicious dinner of Peruvian Cuisine perhaps even a folkloric dinner show and you will have seen the very best of Lima.

David Attenborough Galapagos Trailers Revisited

 

The Living wildlife in Galapagos is a film project every nature enthusiast should watch. With the amazing insigth from David Attenborough, the BBC has released a number of trailers from their work in the Galapagos Islands.  The films feature a number of different subjects and do a remarkable job telling the story of the animals who make the Galapagos their home.

The full versions of the videos are available to watch on Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/Galapagos-with-David-Attenborough/dp/B079R75978

This is an inspiring wildlife series and many will want to plan a trip to these enchanted isles after watching the beautiful footage, to assist in organizing your visit, we have prepared a full Galapagos vacation planner

SAERO airline to being Galapagos Inter-Island flights

Ecuadorian Airline SAERO S.A. has announced they are to begin inter-islands service within the Galapagos Islands.  There are currently three airports in the Galapagos the largest on the island of Baltra, one on the island of San Cristobal and a third which is exclusively used for inter-island flights on the island of Isabela.  Travel between these islands is currently limited to either a fiberglass speed boat or EMETEBEE airlines which operates 7 and 9 passenger Britten-Norman 2 Islander planes.

SAERO which currently offers flights within Ecuador and to the beaches of Northern Peru has a fleet that includes a Turbo Commander 840, Helicopter, BeechCraft 1900 Embraer 120 and Leer Jet.    SAERO’s entry into the Galapagos inter-island market will make more options available and it more convenient for travelers who wish to travel between the islands by plane.

LAN announces new destinations with the Visit South America Pass

LAN has released a new destination within the South American Airpass program: Colombia.  Passengers may, through LAN.com, select a flight of entry into the continent, to design an itinerary of at least three destinations in the region and take advantage of rates of the company, and now has chosen Colombia between their countries.

The Galapagos Islands , Machu Picchu, Iguazu, Easter Island, the Atacama Desert and now all the wonders of Colombia, are available to program users LAN.

Colombia has become the eighth largest network of destinations available in the South American Airpass. Bogota, Cali, Cartagena or San Andres Island are already available to the traveler with the South American Airpass.

LAN continues offering, under the South American Airpass, his classic “recommended circuits” which proposed routes for all tastes:

–  “Galapagos and Machu Picchu.” Quito-Galapagos-Islands-Guayaquil-Lima-Cusco.

– “Inca Trail and Lake Titicaca.” Lima-Cuzco-Juliaca-Lima.

– “Wonders of South America.” Lima-Cusco-Lima-Iguazu Falls-Lima.

– “Urban America.” Quito-Lima-Buenos Aires-Santiago de Chile.

– “Cultures enigmatic.” Santiago-Easter Island-Santiago-Calama-Santiago de Chile.

-“Food and wine”. Lima-Buenos Aires-Mendoza-Santiago de Chile.

The company offers users the best South American Airpass travel conditions, allowing earn 100% of the mileage in their frequent flyer program LANPASS and applying the more lenient baggage rate of transoceanic flights.

Ecuador’s Indigenous Protest Mining in the Amazon Rainforest

Indigenous women perform a ritual during a march in Ecuador to protest against the policies of President Rafael Correa which they say will result in more mining in the Amazon region and threaten the environment and their way of life.

Protests in Ecuador yesterday shut down the capital city of Quito while indigenous protested the governments signing of new mining contracts.  The Amazon Rainforest is one of the most bio-diverse areas in the world.  As the largest tract of tropical rainforest in the Americas, one in 10 species in the world can be found within the Amazon Basin.

This area is also home to a number of indigenous groups, including groups within the Brazilian Amazon which have remained without contact from the outside world.  For decades the Amazon Region has also been exploited for its wealth of natural resources including deforestation, oil production, and mining operations.

Environmentalists are concerned about loss of biodiversity that will result from destruction of the forest, and also about the release of the carbon contained within the vegetation, which could accelerate  global warming.  As regions within the Amazon Basin continue to succumb to eco-side the many of the indigenous groups from the area have become the voice for the Amazon through community based conservation efforts.

Could Advil Ease Hikers’ Altitude Ills?

By Dr. JESSICA ROSE, ABC News Medical Unit:

Larry Stack, 51, knew something was wrong as he ascended a mountain on a recent climbing trip to Quito, Ecuador.

“I had had shortness of breath on trips before, but this was different,” said Stack, who is a physician. “I developed a headache, and felt like I was going to pass out.”

Stack’s experience during his rapid ascent may be a familiar hazard to many of the millions of Americans who trek up the side of a mountain each year. He was experiencing acute mountain sickness. Commonly referred to as altitude sickness, it is a serious condition — and in its worst form, it is potentially deadly.

Now, new research published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine suggests that those who climb may do well to add a bottle of ibuprofen, a common anti-inflammatory painkiller, to their hiking packs.

Ibuprofen is  available over the counter and is perhaps most widely known by the brand names Advil and Motrin — although it is available in numerous other formulations as well.

Study author Dr. Grant Lipman, an emergency medicine physician at Stanford University, first noted a decrease in the symptoms of acute mountain sickness — dizziness, fatigue, difficulty breathing, nausea and vomiting — while researching a previous group of study participants at high altitude.

“We saw that ibuprofen helped headache and, as a secondary finding, decreased the symptoms of acute mountain sickness,” Lipman said.

He then tested this hypothesis using 86 volunteers. Each was given either ibuprofen or a placebo pill just before a summer climb in the White Mountains of California. Lipman’s group found that those hikers taking ibuprofen were three times less likely to develop altitude sickness than those who took the dummy pill.

Currently, there are two commonly used treatments for altitude sickness, and both require a trip to the doctor’s office for a prescription.  Dexamethasone, a steroid, and acetazolamide, a diuretic or “water pill,” both have significant side effects.

During his experience with altitude sickness, Stack took acetazolamide, but he did not like the side effects, which included excessive urination and a “weird taste.” His altitude sickness sent him to a local emergency room where he had an extensive workup — a CT scan, X-rays and an evaluation by a heart doctor.  After several days, his symptoms resolved, but the current study suggests that taking ibuprofen could have helped him avoid these problems in the first place.

However, more studies may be needed to convince some physicians that this inexpensive, easy-to-administer pill should change the way they advise mountain climbers.

“Based on just one study, I’d be hesitant to recommend the use of ibuprofen for those at risk of acute mountain sickness, but I admit if I were traveling to the mountains, I’d be sure to have a supply of ibuprofen in my carry-on bag,” said Dr. Richard O’Brien, an emergency physician at Moses Taylor Hospital in Scranton, Pa.

If one thing is certain, it is that those who experience these symptoms should seek help — and quickly. Emergency physicians said acute mountain sickness, if not treated, could lead to breathing problems, brain swelling, and death.  Descending to a lower altitude at the first sign of distress is crucial.

“Unfortunately, every year there are climbers who die of high altitude cerebral edema [brain swelling] who took medications and pushed ahead on their ascent, instead of recognizing and acknowledging their symptoms and descending while they still had the opportunity,” said Dr. Gabe Wilson, associate medical director at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital’s emergency department.

***

We highly recommend discussing any treatments or ailments you may have with your physician prior to traveling

Tour a Panama Hat Factory in Sigsig Ecuador

by Libby Zay

First popularized by President Theadore Roosevelt and worn by countless travelers ever since, the Panama hat has become a symbol of coastal and tropical locales. Nothing screams I’m on vacation somewhere warm! quite like the straw hat, which is known for being breathable and able to return to its original shape after being folded in a suitcase. But what is not as well known is that Panama hats don’t actually come from their namesake country. The hats actually originated in Ecuador, but were mistakenly called Panama hats because they were shipped through the Isthmus of Panama before making it to locations across the rest of the Americas, Europe and Asia.

Panama hats are still made throughout Ecuador, where Ecuadorians call the hats sombreros de paja toquilla (or “hats of toquilla straw”). Anyone selling the hats at markets or in shopping malls, however, is well aware that tourists often ask for them by the name “Panama hat.” Several towns are famous for the production of the hats, including the small town of Sigsig in the Andes Mountains near the colonial city of Cuenca. It is possible to take an hour-long bus ride from Cuenca to Sigsig to visit a Panama hat company owned and operated by indigenous Ecuadorians who work directly with wholesalers. There, you can see women with amazingly nimble fingers as they weave the hats. Remarkably, each hat takes a single weaver several days to make. While there, you can get a good deal on a hat of your own or purchase other items made out of straw — including bowls, boxes and coasters — from a small company store. There’s also a nice photo op in front of a giant Panama hat in the courtyard of the warehouse.

$1000 off Humboldt Explorer April 23 – 30

Galapagos Diving aboard the Humboldt Explorer April 23 – 30 for $1000 off!  Dive with hammerheads, Galapagos sharks, sea turtles, giant mantas and more at some of the best dive sites in the world including Wolf and Darwin.

The Humboldt Explorer is the first in a new generation of dive boats in Galapagos. Spacious and comfortable with modern decor and excellent amenities. All cabins can either have two twin beds or a large single bed depending on the traveler’s needs. There is a partially covered sundeck with Jacuzzi and ample seating areas, a salon including a lounge area, a spacious dive deck with a large camera table are just some of the features.

The special offer is valid for the cruise April 23 – 30 and is $1000 off the regular $3995 low season rate.  Space is extremely limited.

Galapagos Living

“Living Galapagos: The impact of man in the Galapagos Islands” is a student-authored multimedia website intended to become the primary source for Galapagos multimedia, containing a mix of science and human interest content and presented to multiple audiences worldwide for education, awareness and entertainment.

Based off the 2009 JOMC project  www.livinggalapagos.org, the new site will have annual editions, presenting a mix of science and human interest content in an engaging way for viewers in the U.S., Ecuador and worldwide. It will also provide bilingual educational resources.

The annual class will learn about the islands and then travel there to produce stories with documentary video, animated information graphics, data visualization, 3-D modeling immersive media text and more. The project will have a searchable database of content, showing change on the islands over time.

“Living Galapagos” will be produced by JOMC with support from centers and institutes at UNC and University San Francisco de Quito (USFQ,) including the Center for Galapagos Studies, RENCI, the Water Institute, the Center for Global Initiatives, The Research Institute, the Institute for the Environment, and the Galapagos Institute of Arts and Sciences.