Giant Galapogas Tortoise
The giant Galapogas
tortoises are the most famous wildlife in
the Galapogas Islands and the islands are called
'Galapogas' after them.
Giant Galapogas Tortoise,
Chato Tortoise Reserve, Santa Cruz Island -
photo with thanks to Roz Gordon
There are several
different subspecies of giant Galapogas land tortoise endemic to single
islands
or to parts of one island. The giant land
tortoise subspecies are slightly different shapes, adapted to suit the
landscape of their particular island habitat. Giant
Galapogas tortoises can weigh up to 250kgs and live for more than 150
years.
Galapogas Giant Tortoises
are vegetarians
The
Galapogas tortoise eats a range of different plants and fruits
including cacti.
There
were once as many as a quarter of a million giant Galapogas land
tortoises in the islands but nineteenth century whalers took many
thousands of them onto their whaling ships as a source of fresh meat.
The giant tortoises were kept upside down in the hold and
could survive like that until the tortoise meat was needed.
There are now only around 15,000 Galapogas tortoises left and
three of the giant tortoise subspecies have been wiped out completely.
Giant Galapogas Tortoise
with Galapogas Hawk
The
most famous giant Galapagos tortoise is Lonesome George, who lives at
the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz island. He
is thought to be the last pure Pinta tortoise in existence, so it seems
that another subspecies of Galapogas tortoise will disappear as well.
A giant Galapogas tortoise heading to a pool for a drink
Galapogas
Tortoise Photo Gallery
Giant Galapogas tortoise main photo
by www.rozgordonphotography.co.uk
Wildlife
photos from the Galapogas Islands
