| Tortoise, Galapagos | |||
| Genus | Geochelone | ||
| Species | elephantopus | ||
| Status | Endangered | ||
| Distribution | Ecuador - Galapagos Islands | ||
| Length | 42 inches (110 cm) | ||
| Weight | 330-440 pounds (150-200 kg) | ||
| Behavior |
This enormous animal, a member of the turtle family, is a land-dwelling reptile that rarely goes into the water. Its stubby elephant-like legs are better for walking than swimming. They move their huge weight along very slowly - at a rate of about four miles (6.5 km) per day.
The large, domed shell of the Galapagos tortoise protects it from the dogs, cats, rats, and pigs that are its natural enemies. | ||
| Conservation |
Two hundred years ago, whaling ships would often stop at the Galapagos Islands to collect food. The slow-moving tortoises were easily captured and loaded aboard the ships. They were kept below decks and killed when the sailors' food supplies ran out. From 1811 to 1844, over 15,000 tortoises were carried off the islands to be eaten by sailors.
When these ships landed on the islands, the black rats that had stowed away on board went on shore at night. They quickly multiplied, spreading out all over the islands. They preyed on small animals and ate the eggs and hatchlings of the Galapagos tortoises. It was not long before there numbers had greatly decreased. In 1959, the government of Ecuador decided to protect giant tortoises and other endangered animals and plants on the Galapagos Islands. Hopefully, their efforts will save this gentle creature from extinction. | ||
| Interesting Facts |
If you crouched down on all fours, you could hide under the empty shell of a giant tortoise!
Galapagos means "tortoises" in Spanish. The name was given to the islands because once thousands of these animals lived there. | ||
| Images and Video Clips | |||
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| Sound Snippet | |||
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1) Heavy breathing | |||
| Animal Communication Panel | |||
