Galapagos Tortoises

1
Galapagos Tortoises
Galapagos Giant Tortoise
2
Facts

• Fully grown adults can weigh over 300 kilograms
  (661 lb) and measure 1.2 meters (4 ft) long.
• A life expectancy in the wild estimated to be
  over 150 years.
• Native to seven islands of the Galapagos
  archipelago.
• The tortoises are herbivorous animals with a diet
  comprising cactus, grasses, leaves, vines, and
  fruit.
• Mating occurs at any time of the year, although
  it does have seasonal peaks between January and
  August. Lays up to sixteen hard-shelled eggs the
  size of tennis balls.

3
Galapagon Land Iguana
Conolophus
4

• This Generic name is derived from two Greek words
  cono meaning "spiny" and loph meaning "crest",
  denoting the spiny crests along the backs of
  these species.

5
Marine Iguana
Amblyrhynchus
cristatus
6

• Is an iguana found only on the Galapagos Islands
  that has the ability, unique among modern
  lizards, to live and forage in the sea.
• As a cold blooded animal, the marine iguana can
  spend only a limited time in the cold sea, where
  it dives for algae.
• During the breeding season, males become highly
  territorial. The males assemble large groups of
  females to mate with, and guard them against
  other male iguanas.

Facts
7
Galapagos Green Turtle
Chelonia Mydas Agassisi
8

• Female Galápagos Green Turtles most often only
  lay eggs every 2-3 years and spend the time
  between resting and foraging.
• The Green Sea Turtle has been shown to have the
  slowest growth rate of any species of Sea Turtle
  and is generally long-lived if left undisturbed.

Facts

• Galápagos Green Turtles get their name from their
  specific nesting habitat, the Galápagos Islands.
• Now that the Galápagos Green Turtle is an
  endangered species it has little positive
  economic significance for humans. They have in
  the past been harvested from egg to adult for
  various human uses. The eggs and meat from all
  life stages was utilized in many areas as a food
  source for humans.

9
Pacific Green Sea Turtle
Chelonia mydas
10
Facts

• Grows to a maximum size of about 4 feet and a
  weight of 440 pounds.
• Generally found in fairly shallow waters (except
  when migrating) inside reefs, bays, and inlets.
• Breeding colony populations in Florida and on the
  Pacific Coast of Mexico are listed as Endangered
  all others are listed as Threatened.

11
Giant Tortoise
Geochelone elephantopus
12
FACTS

• They occur in such places as Madagascar, the
  Seychelles, Mauritius, Réunion, the Galápagos
  Islands, Sulawesi, Timor, Flores and Java, often
  reaching enormous size they can weigh as much
  as 300 kg (660 lbs) and can grow to be 1.3 m (4
  ft) long.
• These animals belong to the most ancient group of
  reptiles, appearing about 250 million years ago.
• They are one of the world's longest-living
  animals, with an average lifespan of 100 years or
  more.

13
Lava Lizard

• Seven Different species of lava lizards.
• Males and females of all Tropidurus species are
  marked differently. The male is usually much
  larger than the female, and its body is more
  brightly coloured and distinctly patterned.
• Markings vary considerably, even within an
  individual species. Like many lizards, they show
  changes of colour with mood and temperature.
  Members of the same species occurring in
  different habitats aiso show colour differences.
• The seven species are..

14
Santiago Female
                                             ltgt
Tropidurus Albemarlensis
15
Santiago Male
Tropidurus Albemarlensis
16
San Cristobal Male
Tropidurus Bivittatus
17
Santa Cruz Female
Tropidurus Albemarlensis
18
Santa Cruz Male
Tropidurus Albemarlensis
19
Galapagos Gecko
Phyllodactylus galapagoensis
20
Facts

• Geckos are unusual in other respects as well.
  Most geckos have no eyelids and instead have a
  transparent membrane which they lick to clean.
• Some species are 'parthenogenic', the females
  capable of reproducing without mating with a
  male. This improves the gecko's ability to spread
  to new islands.
• Geckos' toes seem to be 'double jointed'. Their
  toes actually bend in the opposite direction from
  our fingers and toes.