Galapagos Tortoise An Endangered Species

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Galapagos TortoiseAn Endangered Species

• Jennifer Calder
• Herpetology
• Winter Term 2003

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Quick Facts

• Kingdom Animalia
• Phylum Chordata
• Class Reptilia
• Order Testudines
• Family Testudinidae

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Other FACTS

• Geochelone elephantopus Scientific name
• Galapagos Islands (west of Ecuador) Location
• The environment in which these tortoises live
  determines shape and size
• Smaller and less vegetated islands
• Larger and more vegetated islands

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Diet

• Galapagos Tortoises are herbivores!

It would be difficult for a Galapagos Tortoise to
be a carnivore because it only moves 0.16
mph! These tortoises use their keen sense of
smell to find food.
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Reproduction

• Mating occurs all through the year however there
  are seasonal peaks.
• Decrease of eggs in comparison to other
  tortoises.

The mother burrows a hole in which to lay the
eggs. After approximately 4-8 months, the
tortoise eggs hatch and the young begin to dig
their way out of the nest. Mature age 25
years Life Span 200 year


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Threats

• Populations have declined due to passing ships,
  mainly whalers, taking the tortoises on board for
  supplies.
• Other greater threats include predatory mammals
  that have been introduced to the islands over the
  years
• Feral Pigs
• Cats
• Black Rats
• Cattle and Goats compete for grazing

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Conservation

• PL 91-135 prohibits the importation of the
  tortoise into the United States.
• 1959 Ecuador declared all areas of the islands
  that were uninhabited to be a National Park
  making it illegal to capture and/or kill these
  tortoises.