Day 17 - The Giant Galapagos Tortoise







Hey guys, Marielle and Tyler here! 


Today, let’s talk turtles. 

The Galapagos Giant Tortoise is renowned for its massive size and longevity. We are sure some of you may have heard of the passing of Lonesome George back in 2012. He was the last surviving Pinta island tortoise. For Galapagos natives, he is a symbol of their desire to protect and conserve wildlife and nature. In fact, they have his body located here on Santa Cruz!


Now, let’s get into some fun facts! 

  1. The average lifespan of these infamous land vertebrates is around 150-175 years.
  2. Tortoises are also considered pollinators because they don’t fully digest food, rather they excrete it from their bodies to their surrounding environment. 
  3. The female tortoise does not always need a mate for reproduction. As they contain an internal sperm stores in the event of having no mate. 
  4. Lastly, the Galapagos tortoise has two different kinds of shells tailored to different environments. The saddleback shell is for drier climates and allows the tortoise to have longer legs and necks to reach vegetation high up. The dome shaped shell is meant for the tortoises who have more vegetation closer to the ground, thus there is no need for the longer appendages. One thing we found most shocking is how tiny the babies are compared to how huge they actually get! 


If you ever encounter these magnificent creatures make sure to respect their space as they can be very timid and frighten easily. 


Thanks for tuning in, until next time! 


  • Marielle and Tyler🫶🏼🐢


 

Comments

  1. AnonymousJuly 26, 2023 at 4:01 PM

    The female tortoise is giving ~Barbie movie~ #womenempowerment #wedon'tneedmen

    ReplyDelete

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