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The Galapagos TortoiseIt can weigh over 500 pounds and measure 6 feet from head to tail. It is a very slow-moving animal, moving only 0.16 miles per hour. The Galapagos giant tortoise has a very large shell made of bone. Among some Galapagos tortoises facts we can mention that its shell can be domed, saddle-backed, or somewhere in between. Domed shells are found on tortoises that live in areas with lush vegetation.
The Galapagos Giant Tortoises, belong to the species Geochelone elephantopus and are vegetarians, they eat mostly prickly pear cactus and fruits, bromeliads, water ferns, leaves, and grasses. The Galapagos tortoise has a good sense of smell and smells all of its food before eating it. They have tremendous water storage capacities, enabling them to survive the long arid season. (more than a year without any food or water) Nobody knows exactly how long they can live but there is a popular belief that they can reach 100 and inclusive more than 150 years old. Most tortoises can lay hundreds of eggs at a time. However, the Galapagos tortoise only lays between 2 and 16 eggs. These eggs are laid in a hole dug by the mother. Then they are buried for incubation. The mother leaves, and the eggs hatch 4-8 months later. It takes the baby tortoises one month to dig out of the nest. This "hunting" of turtles, continued until the beginning of the 20 th century, when they were murdered to get their oil. Additionally the introduction of domestic animals that fed of the same vegetables and that also consumed their eggs helped to reduce dramatically their number. As a result today we just find 10,000 to 15,000 turtles on the Galapagos island, and only the ones in the islands of Santa Cruz and Isabella have big populations. To avoid the extinguish of the giant Galapagos turtles, the biologists from Charles Darwin Research Station began to capture the survivors and put them in captivity and started the breeding for reproductive purposes. More About Galapagos:Galapagos SnakeRecommended Galapagos Island Tours Flight to Galapagos Best Galapagos Hotel Galapagos Testimonials Galapagos Recommended Reading:Wildlife of the Galapagos (Princeton Illustrated Checklists) Wildlife of the Galapagos is the most superbly illustrated and comprehensive identification guide ever to the natural splendor of these incomparable islands. It really reveals the archipelago's striking beauty. (It is a well-written, informative text).An Identification Guide to the Birds, Mammals, and Reptiles of the Galapagos Islands This is the most comprehensive guide to the unique wildlife of the Galapagos, excellent and detailed descriptions of its extraordinary birds, mammals, and reptiles. (Highly recommended) If you have questions about the giant Galapagos tortoise or if you need help to choose one of our recommended Galapagos Cruises to visit the Islands safely, please Click Here to Contact Me
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