Galapagos Giant Tortoise

The endemic Galápagos giant tortoise, the species that gave the Galápagos Islands their name. In Spanish, “galápago” refers to a type of saddle, of which their shells reminded the early colonists.

These giant tortoises are famous for their long lifespans, with 152 being the current record. It’s not impossible that a tortoise hatched when Darwin arrived in 1835 could still be alive.

Stock Image #20200228-13252676