Basic Facts About the Galapagos Tortoise

Basic Facts About the Galapagos Tortoise

turtle-walking-away.jpg

The Galapagos Islands are named after the giant tortoises that live on the islands - 'galapago' in Spanish means 'saddle' and refers to the tortoise shell. We've given you some of the fast facts on the Galapagos Tortoise below, but there's nothing like learning first-hand. On our 10-day Galapagos Land and Sea Adventure 'Tortuga' trip, you'll visit a giant tortoise breeding centre and hike in the Santa Cruz highlands, to see these majestic creatures in their natural habitat. 

 

The 3 Types of Galapagos Tortoises

The Galapagos tortoise comes in three versions, which are distinguished by the shape of their shells, sizes, colors and behavior: 

1. Saddle-Backed

Mostly found on the lower drier islands. They have raised shells, long necks and limbs which allows them to reach sparse vegetation found higher off the ground.

2. Dome-Shaped

Found on the upper parts of the islands, where plant growth is dense and thick. They have round shaped shells, very short necks and limbs.

3. Intermediate

This third race is a mix between the two described above.

 

Old and wise

The Galapagos Giant Tortoise can keep growing for 30 or 40 years, reaching almost 1 1/2 metres (5 feet) and weighing up to 230 kilograms (500 pounds). These are the largest tortoises in the world and the longest living of all vertebrates (animals with backbones). Because of their life span, it's possible that some of the old-timers in the Galapagos Islands that are around today, hatched about the time of Darwin's visit in 1835! 

The oldest giant tortoise on record lived 152 years, but reliable records of tortoise life spans aren't available yet because people haven't been observing them long enough.

 

Then and now

In the 19th Century sailors and whale hunters visited the Islands and quickly discovered that these giant tortoises were an excellent food supply, being easy to catch and able to live for months without food or water. In vast numbers the animals were flipped on their backs and stacked in the cargo hold of ships, giving the sailors a ready source of fresh meat when there was no land in sight. Sadly, many thousands of giant tortoise were collected this way and today there are only around 15,000 left, a fraction of what there once was. 

 

Explore Adventures in this Destination

Related Posts

Best Time to Visit Peru | Destinations, Climate, and Seasons

So, when is the best time to visit Peru?If you're…

W Trek Patagonia – Everything You Need to Know

Calling Torres del Paine National Park a dramatic landscape is…

Podcast: Kit Parks Interviews Dave and Tina About their Galapagos Land and Sea Adventure

Kit Parks from Active Travel Adventures, Dave and Tina discuss…

Adventure Travel to Costa Rica: Everything You Need to Know

Photo by Kamchatka/Getty Images

With coastlines on both the Pacific Ocean…

Northern Patagonia vs Southern Patagonia - How to Choose

Planning a trip to Patagonia but can't decide whether to…

Travelling to Ecuador and the Galapagos During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Notice anything different about this picture? Look closely - there's…

Podcast - Matty Talks About his African Safari with Kit Parks

Matty, our Travel Manager, discuss about his scouting trip in…

Kruger National Park

The world-famous Kruger National Park is one of the biggest…

The best time to visit Botswana

Botswana is a sub-Saharan country with attitude and beauty to…

The Best Time to visit the Galapagos Islands

If you’re heading to the Galapagos Islands, you probably can’t…

Discover Rakiura National Park, on Stewart Island

 Where is Stewart Island? 

Where is Stewart Island?Stewart Island is situated…

Top things to do in Mount Aspiring National Park

Mount Aspiring National Park is a hiker's paradise and a…

Little Guide to Kaikoura, New Zealand

On the rugged east coast of New Zealand's South Island,…

Video: Safari Adventures in Africa

Come on a journey with us to the wildest place…

Video: Highlights of our Elegant South 'Kakapo' trip

A short look at some highlights from our comfort-focused Elegant…

Things to know before visiting the Peruvian Amazon 

From Machu Picchu to Rainbow Mountain, Peru is a behemoth…

Best Things to Do in Cusco, Peru

The ancient Inca capital is said to have been founded…

Hike Peru's Lares Trek to Machu Picchu

Constructed by the Incas over 500 years ago, the Lares…

Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu: Your Ultimate Guide

One of the most popular hikes in South America, Peru’s…

Best Time to Visit Machu Picchu

Considering a bucket list trip to Machu Picchu but unsure…

How to Get to Machu Picchu: Everything You Need to Know

So, the once-in-a-lifetime trip to Machu Picchu is beckoning your…

Discover Machu Picchu, The Most Famous Inca Ruins in Peru

Peru has so many ancient ruins, villages imbued with an…

Discover the Most Famous and Lesser Known Inca Ruins in Peru

Over 500 years ago, the Inca Empire built a road…

Discover the Best Things to Do in Lima, Peru

The once-called City of Kings, founded in 1535, is the…

Finding Flights to Patagonia

Sorting out Patagonia flights and Patagonia travel doesn't have to…

Best Time to Visit Patagonia

With years of experience in the travel arena under our…

Bolivia Culture and Customs

The culture and customs in Bolivia are unique and have…

City Guide to La Paz, Bolivia

La Paz, also known as ‘the city that touches the…

5 Best Islands to Visit in Galapagos

The Galapagos Islands are an adventures dream with plenty of…

Best Things to Do in Quito, Ecuador

If you're planning an Ecuador holiday, you'll be visiting the…

Best Scuba Diving in the Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands is an internationally renowned diving destination home…

Video: Ultimate South Island Adventure trip

The 'Rimu' is our signature New Zealand trip. 14 days…

Video: Classic South Island Adventure

Our Classic South Island Adventure is 8 days of action-packed…

Ultimate Peru Adventure 'Jaguar' Trip

Dreaming of a Peru adventure? Our 'Jaguar' is our signature…

Everything You Need to Know Before Traveling in Patagonia

Patagonia has an almost surreal quality to it, so it's…

Little Guide to New Zealand Native Trees

There’s nothing quite like standing amongst the rimu trees and…

Hike the Lake Waikaremoana Track

The Lake Waikaremoana Track, located within Te Urewera National Park,…

Hike the Kepler Track

The Kepler Track, in Fiordland National Park, is a 67…

Hike the Milford Track in New Zealand

The 53.5 kilometre (33.2 mile) Milford Track is one of…

What to Expect From Your Milford Sound Cruise

Whether you've arrived into Milford Sound under your own steam…

7 Reasons South America is a Must-Visit in the North American Winter

Looking for a better way to spend your winter instead…

The Ultimate 14 Days in Patagonia Itinerary

So you like to be active, huh? That’s totally cool…

Manukura - The World's Only White Kiwi Bird

Manukura was a white kiwi bird - the only known…

Why we Love our New Zealand Birds

We love our New Zealand birds at Active HQ! You may…

6 Travel Apps You Absolutely Need When Travelling in South America

The smartphone has quickly evolved into one of the most…

6 Peruvian Words You Should Know Before Your Machu Picchu Adventure

Because of its role as an international tourism destination, it’s…

12 Peruvian Festivals, One for Each Month!

Perhaps you've read somewhere or other that there are over 3,000…

15 Bucket List Activities to do in South America

We've been running trips in South America for over a decade…

The Top 20 Things to Do in Peru

It probably shouldn't come as much of a surprise that…

Facts About Machu Picchu To Outsmart Your Tour Guide

Peru is bursting with ancient ruins and villages built on…

6 Inca Trail Tips to Make the Most of Your Machu Picchu Trip

My flight was booked! My dream of hiking the Inca…

7 Fascinating Galapagos Islands Animals

The Galapagos Islands and wildlife are synonymous – you can't…

The Seven ‘Wonders’ of the Galapagos: Best Things to Do and See

As individuals who thrive on adventure, we love to travel…

The Top Things to do in the Amazon Rainforest

Stretching 96,922 square kilometers across the country, the Amazon Rainforest…

Top 10 things to do in Iceland!

Are you a keen explorer? In the market for a…