Giant Tortoise, Geochelone elephantopus, Galapagos islands, Charles Darwin, island species, evolution, scales, shell, scutes, large front legs, small head, Santa Cruz Island
Description
Wild Giant Tortoise on the island of Santa Cruz, Galapagos Island.
Galapagos Giant Tortoise, Geochelone elephantopus, "Lonesome George" sole survivor, Pinta Island, rarest animal in world, breeding centre, Charles Darwin, evolution, island species, saddle shaped shell, Pacific Ocean, Research Station, Santa Cruz
Description
Close up of Lonesome Geeorge the sole survivor from Pinta Island.
Galapagos tortoise; Geochelone elephantopus; Isla Santa Cruz; Indefatigable Island; Galapagos islands; Ecuador; South America; Charles Darwin Research Station; captivity; breeding; wildlife; nature; UNESCO
Galapagos tortoise; Geochelone elephantopus; Isla Santa Cruz; Indefatigable Island; Galapagos islands; Ecuador; South America; Charles Darwin Research Station; captivity; breeding; wildlife; nature; UNESCO
Galapagos tortoise; Geochelone elephantopus; Isla Santa Cruz; Indefatigable Island; Galapagos islands; Ecuador; South America; Charles Darwin Research Station; captivity; breeding; wildlife; nature; UNESCO
Two giant tortoises (geochelone elephatopus) fight and jockey for position on the feeding pad at the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz island in the Galapagos islands of Ecuador.
A giant tortoise (geochelone elephatopus) looks up at the camera from within its enclosure at the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos islands of Ecuador.
A giant tortoise (geochelone elephatopus) growls on the feeding pad at the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos islands of Ecuador.
36.3 Photo of tortoise. This photo illustrates the following text: Tortoises and turtles both have a hard shell. Tortoises live on land and are mostly herbivores. Turtles live in the water but they lay their eggs on land. They are mostly omnivores and eat plants, insects and fish.
Two giant tortoise (geochelone elephatopus) battle for position on the feeding pad at the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos islands of Ecuador.
A giant tortoise (geochelone elephatopus) prepares for a charge towards food at the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos islands of Ecuador.
A pair of giant tortoise (Geochelone Elephatopus) growl at each other on the 'feeding pad' at the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos islands of Ecuador.
A baby giant tortoise (Geocheloone elephatophus) looks up from the floor of an enclosure in the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz island in the Galapagos islands of Ecuador.
South America; Ecuador; Galapagos islands; Latin America; Americas; islands; nature; habitat; Darwin; wild; Latin; destination; adventure; Charles Darwin Foundation; Puerto Ayora; Santa Cruz Island; Charles Darwin Research Foundation; Abingdon Island; Pinta Island; Abingdon Island Tortoise; G. n. abingdoni; extinct in wild; herbivorous; turtle; Geochelone nigra; Geochelone elephantopus; lonely; survivor; species; wildlife; conservation; animal
Giant Tortoise Coloured Earth Garden Mauritius Aldabra thick domed carapace dark grey to black bony scales pointed head threatened species food Trade restricted reptile
Description
Status Classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List (1), and listed on Appendix II of CITES (3), on both as Geochelone gigantea although it is also referred to as Dipsochelys dussumieri or D. elephantine (4).Description The Aldabra giant tortoise is indeed a giant, with individuals reaching over one metre in length (2). The thick, domed carapace is dark grey to black in colour and the robust limbs are covered in bony scales, as is the small, pointed head (5).Range Endemic to the islands of Aldabra and the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean, populations have also been introduced to Mauritius, Reunion (6), and granitic islands of Seychelles such as Curieuse and Fregate (7).Habitat inhabits a wide variety of vegetation on the islands where it is found, from scrub and mangrove swamp to grassy plains known as 'platins' (2).Biology The breeding season occurs from February to May (5), and females lay small clutches of 9 to 25 eggs, of which less than half are fertile in the wild (2). Hatchlings emerge anything from 3.5 to 7 months later. Aldabra tortoises have a predominately vegetation-based diet although they will supplement this intake with carrion (2) (7).Threats Giant tortoises throughout the islands of the Indian Ocean represented an important food source for sailors visiting these shores in the 17th to 19th Centuries and live individuals were often captured and stored for meat in the ship's hold (2) (7). In addition, the destruction of habitat and the introduction of mammalian predator
Giant Land Tortoises of the Galapagos Islands. Charles Darwin's study of the fauna of the Islands contributed to his theory of evolution. Wood engraving published 1884.
