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GALAPAGOS
TORTOISE |
 Defenders
of Wildlife |
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Of the original 14 subspecies of Galapagos tortoises, three are extinct. The remaining 11 subspecies are endangered.
Galapagos tortoises have brown shells marked with black patterns. They can pull their heads, tails and legs completely inside their shells. There are two different shell shapes: domed and saddle-backed. Saddle-backed tortoises have longer necks and front legs, which enable them to reach vegetation that is higher off the ground.
Galapagos tortoises weigh between 100 and 600 pounds. They measure between four and five feet across the curvature of their shell.
10,000 to 15,000 Galapagos tortoises occur in the wild.
Galapagos tortoises can live more than 150 years. They have one of the longest life spans of all vertebrates (animals with backbones).
Galapagos tortoises occur on the Galapagos Islands in the eastern Pacific Ocean, about 600 miles off the coast of Equador.
The environment and climate vary from island to island. Saddle-backed tortoises inhabit the hotter, drier islands with sparse vegetation, whereas domed tortoises inhabit the cooler, wetter islands with lush ground vegetation.
Galapagos tortoises are herbivores. Their diet consists mostly of cactus, fruits, vines, grasses and other vegetation. Tortoises can store food and water so well that they can go without eating or drinking for up to one year!
Like other reptiles, Galapagos tortoises are cold-blooded. They spend much of their day soaking up the sun to warm themselves. When the sun goes down and the temperature cools, tortoises sleep partially submerged in mud, water or brush to keep warm. Tortoises are extremely peaceful creatures.
Females lay their eggs in nest holes near the coast. They cover the nest hole and then leave. The young tortoises hatch four to eight months later and weigh about three pounds at birth. If the nest temperature is low, more males will hatch, if the nest temperature is high, more females will hatch.
Historically, sailors would collect Galapagos tortoises and store them live on their backs in ships’ cargo holds for up to a year. The tortoises did not have to be fed or watered and were eaten during long voyages at sea. It is thought that between 100,000 and 200,000 tortoises were killed in this way. At present, the greatest threats to the Galapagos tortoises are from the introduction of non-native species to the Galapagos Islands. Humans brought animals to the islands, such as dogs and cats, which eat unhatched tortoise eggs and young tortoises. Other introduced animals, such as goats and cattle, eat the same vegetation that tortoises eat, causing food shortages.
Endangered Species Act, CITES* Appendix I. * Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, an international treaty with more than 144 member countries. Appendix I listed species cannot be traded commercially. Appendix II listed species can be traded commercially only if it does not harm their survival.
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