Galapagos Giant Tortoise 20200228 132526

Galapagos Giant Tortoise

In Images by Matt Shetzer

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

Galapagos Giant Tortoise was last modified: June 1st, 2020 by Matt Shetzer