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Galápagos tortoise

Adapted from Wikipedia · Explorer experience

A closeup photo of a Galapagos tortoise, showcasing its distinctive shell and face.

Galápagos Tortoise

The Galápagos tortoise is a very big tortoise that lives on the Galápagos Islands. These tortoises are the largest living tortoise and can weigh as much as a small car! They have big, strong shells that protect them and can live for over 100 years.

These tortoises have shells and sizes that vary depending on where they live on the islands. Those on islands with more rain and plants have larger, dome-shaped shells, while those on drier islands have smaller shells with longer necks. The differences in shell shapes helped famous scientist Charles Darwin develop his ideas about how animals change over time when he studied the tortoises during his trip on the Beagle in 1835.

People first found the Galápagos tortoises in the 1500s. There were once over 250,000 of them, but their numbers dropped because of human activities. Today, thanks to hard work by scientists and park workers, the tortoises are being protected. Special programs help baby tortoises grow safe and strong before they are released back into the wild.

Images

Lonesome George, a famous Galápagos tortoise known for being one of the last of his kind.
Lonesome George, the last known Pinta Island tortoise, shown in profile.
A Chatham Island tortoise (Chelonoidis niger chathamensis) on its natural habitat.
A large Galapagos giant tortoise, known for its long lifespan and distinctive shell, roaming in its natural habitat.
A large Galapagos tortoise enjoying a relaxing bath in a pool on Santa Cruz Island.
A giant tortoise from the Galapagos Islands enjoying its meal in its natural habitat.
A Galapagos tour guide gently holds a tortoise egg and its tiny hatchling, showcasing the wonder of nature in the Galapagos Islands.
Portrait of Charles Darwin, the famous scientist known for his work on evolution.
A detailed diagram of the interior layout of the HMS Beagle from 1832, showing Captain Darwin's seating area and other parts of the ship.
A giant Galápagos tortoise roaming the Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos, known for its large size and long lifespan.
A giant Galápagos tortoise on Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos, known for being one of the largest tortoise species in the world.
A Galapagos tortoise named Rotumah, photographed in the early 1900s. This gentle giant was found on the grounds of an old asylum in Australia.

Related articles

Tortoise
Charles Darwin

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Galápagos tortoise, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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