Indefatigable Island Tortoise
Chelonoidis nigra porteri
Carapace up to 130 cm
Up to 272.2 kg
Estimated at 3,300 adults
Found only on Santa Cruz, the second largest of the Galapagos islands
On and on. the indefatigable island tortoise can live for more than 150 years, and is able to survive for months without food and water. Over the years, this gentle giant of the Galapagos has developed a symbiotic relationship with other animals that share its home, including birds that feed on ticks attracted to the tortoise. But it has not been as fortunate with its relationship with humans, who harvest the tortoise for meat and oil and also introduced species like rats and goats that destroy its young and compete with it for food. The question is how long can the tortoise go on?
On and on. the indefatigable island tortoise can live for more than 150 years, and is able to survive for months without food and water. Over the years, this gentle giant of the Galapagos has developed a symbiotic relationship with other animals that share its home, including birds that feed on ticks attracted to the tortoise. But it has not been as fortunate with its relationship with humans, who harvest the tortoise for meat and oil and also introduced species like rats and goats that destroy its young and compete with it for food. The question is how long can the tortoise go on?