Endemic to nine islands of an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, what is the largest living tortoise?
"they will start to track the movements of hatchling and juvenile tortoises, supported by the UK's Galapagos Conservation Trust. Galápagos tortoise The Galápagos tortoise complex or Galápagos giant tortoise complex (""Chelonoidis nigra"" and related species) are the largest living species of tortoise. Modern Galápagos tortoises can weigh up to . Today, giant tortoises exist only on two remote archipelagos: the Galápagos Islands 1000 km due west of mainland Ecuador, and Aldabra in the Indian Ocean, 700 km east of Tanzania. The Galápagos tortoises are native to seven of the Galápagos Islands, a volcanic archipelago about west of the Ecuadorian mainland."
"Aldabra giant tortoise The Aldabra giant tortoise (""Aldabrachelys gigantea""), from the islands of the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles, is one of the largest tortoises in the world. Historically, giant tortoises were on many of the western Indian Ocean islands, as well as Madagascar, and the fossil record indicates giant tortoises once occurred on every continent and many islands with the exception of Australia and Antarctica. Many of the Indian Ocean species were thought to be driven to extinction by over-exploitation by European sailors, and they were all seemingly extinct by 1840 with the exception of the Aldabran giant tortoise"
"Bolson tortoise The Bolson tortoise (""Gopherus flavomarginatus""), also called the Mexican giant tortoise or yellow-margined tortoise, is a species of tortoise from North America. Of the six North American tortoise species, it is the largest, having a carapace length of about . It lives in a region of the Chihuahuan Desert known as the Bolsón de Mapimí, which is located in north-central Mexico. The Bolson tortoise was discovered only in 1959. The legend is that a group of biologists working in the Bolsón de Mapimí were at a ranch and saw chickens eating out of a large tortoise shell. They"
"Conservancy has purchase 43,000 acres of the last remaining habitat of the Bolson Tortoise ""(Gopherus flavomarginatus)"", in the state of Durango, Mexico. The largest of the North American terrestrial reptiles, this tortoise has been known to science only since 1959. The Bolson Tortoise inhabits a small area of Bolsón de Mapimí in the Chihuahuan Desert of Mexico. The Mapimí Biosphere Reserve was created to protect this species, but much of this land is used for agricultural development and cattle grazing, which is threatening the tortoise’s habitat. The acquisition of this land in north central Mexico will protect the tortoise along"
"Jonathan (tortoise) Jonathan (hatched c. 1832, years ago) is a Seychelles giant tortoise (""Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa""), a subspecies of the Aladabra giant tortoise (""Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa""), and the oldest known living terrestrial animal in the world. Jonathan resides on the island of Saint Helena, a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic Ocean. Jonathan was brought to the island from the Seychelles in 1882, along with three other tortoises at about 50 years of age. He was named in the 1930s by Governor Sir Spencer Davis. He continues to live on the grounds of Plantation House, the official residence of"
"in the world (100,000 animals). Tortoise size varies substantially across the atoll, but adult tortoises typically have a carapace length of about and can weigh up to . They are herbivores and feed on a variety of plants, trees and even algae that grows in the freshwater pools. The tortoises mate between February and May, the females then lay their eggs from June to September in areas with suitable soil layers. They lay eggs (the size of golf balls ) in a clutch of three to five eggs every few years in high-density areas and 14-16 eggs in low-density areas."
"Aldabrachelys grandidieri Aldabrachelys grandidieri, or Grandidier's giant tortoise, is an extinct species of tortoise that was endemic to Madagascar. Mitochondrial DNA extracted from subfossil bone confirm that it is a distinct species. ""Aldabrachelys grandidieri"" was a giant tortoise, one of the largest in the world, measuring about in carapace length. It was originally one of the six endemic tortoise species of Madagascar (2 large ""Aldabrachelys""; 2 medium ""Astrochelys""; 2 small ""Pyxis""). It is distinguished from all other ""Aldabrachelys"" by a massive, flattened or depressed carapace, bulging sides of the carapace, short gulars, top of the nasal aperture is higher than"
"cats and giant ground sloths, it is not extinct. The Turner Endangered Species Fund, who re-introduced the tortoise to New Mexico, has made it clear that the restoration of the tortoise to the Southwest is an endangered species recovery project and not a ""rewilding"" project, although elements of rewilding exist. Bolson tortoise The Bolson tortoise (""Gopherus flavomarginatus""), also called the Mexican giant tortoise or yellow-margined tortoise, is a species of tortoise from North America. Of the six North American tortoise species, it is the largest, having a carapace length of about . It lives in a region of the Chihuahuan"
"on the island of Changuu, near Zanzibar, and other captive populations exist in conservation parks in Mauritius and Rodrigues. The tortoises exploit many different kinds of habitat, including grasslands, low scrub, mangrove swamps, and coastal dunes. A peculiar habitat has coevolved due to the grazing pressures of the tortoises: ""tortoise turf"", a comingling of 20+ species of grasses and herbs. Many of these distinct plants are naturally dwarfed and grow their seeds not from the tops of the plants, but closer to the ground to avoid the tortoises' close-cropping jaws. As the largest animal in its environment, the Aldabra tortoise"
"Giant tortoise Giant tortoises are characteristic reptiles that are currently found on two groups of tropical islands: the Aldabra Atoll and Fregate Island in Seychelles and the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador (a population at the Mascarene Islands was exterminated by the 1900s). These tortoises can weigh as much as and can grow to be long. Giant tortoises originally made their way to islands from the mainland; for example, the Aldabra Atoll and Mascarenes giant tortoises are related to Madagascar tortoises while the Galapagos giant tortoises are related to Ecuador mainland tortoises. This phenomenon of excessive growth is known as island"
"Giant tortoises were widespread on most of the continents except for Australia and Antarctica. Not only do the Galapagos tortoises remain the largest living tortoises, but in the Galapagos, distinct populations survived in multiple localities. Several of the surviving species of Galapagos tortoises are seriously endangered. Lonesome George was the perfect example. It is said that the decline of the population began in the 17th century, due to buccaneers and whalers. They hunted tortoises as a source of fresh meat, and took away about 200,000 tortoises collectively. This species was originally described in 1877 by German-born British herpetologist Albert Günther,"
"is the shell of an extinct giant tortoise found in a submerged sinkhole in Florida with a wooden spear piercing it, carbon dated to 12,000 years ago. Today, only one of the species of the Indian Ocean survives in the wild, the Aldabra giant tortoise (two more are claimed to exist in captive or re-released populations, but some genetic studies have cast doubt on the validity of these as separate species) and 10 extant species in the Galápagos. Giant tortoises are among the world's longest-living animals, with an average lifespan of 100 years or more. The Madagascar radiated tortoise Tu'i"
"well-developed. All tortoises share unique columnar or elephantine hindlimbs. All tortoises are terrestrial. They live in diverse habitats, including deserts, arid grasslands, and scrub to wet evergreen forests, and from sea level to mountainsides (1000m elevation; ""Indotestudo forsteni)"". Most species, however, occupy semiarid habitats. Adult CL ranges from 8.5 cm in the smallest tortoise, ""Homopus signatus"", to 130 cm in the largest, ""Chelonoidis elephantopus"". Most land-based tortoises are herbivores, feeding on grasses, weeds, leafy greens, flowers, and some fruits, although some omnivorous species are in this family. Pet tortoises typically require diets based on wild grasses, weeds, leafy greens and"
"number of tortoises bones were discovered in the Mare aux Songes excavations. These resulted in the description of the two species of giant tortoise endemic to Mauritius, the saddle-backed Mauritius (""Cylindraspis inepta"") and the domed Mauritius (""Cylindraspis triserrata""). Today all we have from these five species are a number of fossil bones and shells, a few drawings of live animals, and one stuffed saddle-backed Rodrigues giant tortoise in France's National Museum of Natural History. Giant tortoise Giant tortoises are characteristic reptiles that are currently found on two groups of tropical islands: the Aldabra Atoll and Fregate Island in Seychelles and"
"""Geochelone"", known as 'typical tortoises' or 'terrestrial turtles'. In the 1990s, subgenus ""Chelonoidis"" was elevated to generic status based on phylogenetic evidence which grouped the South American members of ""Geochelone"" into an independent clade (branch of the tree of life). This nomenclature has been adopted by several authorities. Within the archipelago, up to 15 species of Galápagos tortoises have been identified, although only 11 survive to this day. Six are found on separate islands; five of them on the volcanoes of Isabela Island. Several of the surviving species are seriously endangered. One of the species, ""C. abingdonii"" from Pinta Island,"
"Radiated tortoise The radiated tortoise (""Astrochelys radiata"") is a species in the family Testudinidae. Although this species is native to and most abundant in southern Madagascar, it can also be found in the rest of this island, and has been introduced to the islands of Réunion and Mauritius. It is a very long-lived species, with recorded lifespans of at least 188 years. These tortoises are classified as critically endangered by the IUCN, mainly because of the destruction of their habitat and because of poaching. Growing to a carapace length of up to 16 in (41 cm) and weighing up to"
"to outlive their human observers. Adwaita was reputedly one of four brought by British seamen from the Seychelles Islands as gifts to Robert Clive of the British East India Company in the 18th century, and came to Calcutta Zoo in 1875. At his death in March 2006 at the Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) Zoo in India, Adwaita is reputed to have reached the longest ever measured life span of 255 years (birth year 1750). Today, Jonathan, a Seychelles giant tortoise, 184 years old, is thought to be the oldest living giant tortoise, and Esmeralda, 170 years old, the second oldest, since"
"2013) this also affected the genus name for the species, establishing ""Aldabrachelys gigantea"" as ""nomen protectum"". Four subspecies are currently recognized: The main population of the Aldabra giant tortoise resides on the islands of the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles. The atoll has been protected from human influence and is home to some 100,000 giant tortoises, the world's largest population of the animal. Smaller populations of ""A. gigantea"" in the Seychelles exist in the Sainte Anne Marine National Park (e.g. Moyenne Island)., and on La Digue, where they are a popular tourist attraction. Another isolated population of the species resides"
"tortoise, ""testudo"". ""Terrapin"" comes from an Algonquian word for turtle. Some languages do not have this distinction, as all of these are referred to by the same name. For example, in Spanish, the word ""tortuga"" is used for turtles, tortoises, and terrapins. A sea-dwelling turtle is ""tortuga marina"", a freshwater species ""tortuga de río"", and a tortoise ""tortuga terrestre"". The largest living chelonian is the leatherback sea turtle (""Dermochelys coriacea""), which reaches a shell length of and can reach a weight of over . Freshwater turtles are generally smaller, but with the largest species, the Asian softshell turtle ""Pelochelys cantorii"","
"old when he died. Around the time of its discovery, they were caught for food in such large numbers that they became virtually extinct by 1900. Giant tortoises are now protected by strict conservation laws and are categorized as threatened species. The Aldabra giant tortoise lives on the remote Aldabra Atoll, one of the Seychelles group of islands in the Indian Ocean. It is the only Indian Ocean giant tortoise species alive today, others having become extinct soon after the arrival of human settlers (including the Seychelles giant tortoise which is now thought to be extinct in the wild, although"
"rise in tortoise population. This also shows that the number of animals in a species can rise despite genetic variation. The last known individual of the species was a male named Lonesome George (), who died on 24 June 2012. In his last years, he was known as the rarest creature in the world. George served as a potent symbol for conservation efforts in the Galápagos and internationally. George was first seen on the island of Pinta on 1 December 1971 by Hungarian malacologist József Vágvölgyi. Relocated for his safety to the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island,"
"longest living species of tortoise is a matter of debate. Galápagos tortoises are noted to live over 150 years, but an Aldabra giant tortoise named Adwaita may have been the longest living at an estimated 255 years. In general, most tortoise species can live 80–150 years. Differences exist in usage of the common terms turtle, tortoise, and terrapin, depending on the variety of English being used; usage is inconsistent and contradictory. These terms are common names and do not reflect precise biological or taxonomic distinctions. The American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists uses ""turtle"" to describe all species of the"
"(15.75 in), but much larger specimens are common. The largest know specimen is a female that was 94 cm (37 in) long. They closely resemble the red-footed tortoise, and can sometimes be difficult to tell apart, especially as a preserved specimen, which led to quite a bit of confusion over the names and ranges. The carapace (shell top) is a long oval with parallel sides and a high-domed back that is generally flat along the vertebrals (scutes or shell scales along the top of the carapace) with a slight peak near the hind end. There are five vertebral scutes, four"
"and studying the endemic wildlife that inhabit the islands that a young Charles Darwin developed his theory of evolution. One of the best-known is the Galápagos tortoise, which lives on seven of the islands. It has an average lifespan of more than 150 years. The marine iguana is also extremely unusual, since it is the only iguana adapted to life in the sea. Land iguanas, lava lizards, geckos and harmless snakes can also be found in the islands. The large number and range of birds is also of interest to scientists and tourists. Around 56 species live in the archipelago,"
"a few individuals have been reported up to . This dwarfs even the better-known alligator snapping turtle, the largest chelonian in North America, which attains a shell length of up to and weighs as much as . Giant tortoises of the genera ""Geochelone"", ""Meiolania"", and others were relatively widely distributed around the world into prehistoric times, and are known to have existed in North and South America, Australia, and Africa. They became extinct at the same time as the appearance of man, and it is assumed humans hunted them for food. The only surviving giant tortoises are on the Seychelles"
"inquired about the origin of the shell and the locals responded by saying that it was, ""la tortuga grande del desierto,"" the big turtle of the desert. In 1979 the 340,000 hectare Mapimi Biosphere Reserve was created to protect the Bolson Tortoise and other unique flora and fauna of the Bolsón de Mapimí. Despite this designation, cattle ranching and mining still occur in the Reserve. Whether this is detrimental to the tortoise is not known. The most recent research, published in 1991 from data collected in 1983, estimates that fewer than 10,000 tortoises remain in the wild. Populations have declined"
"a few locations today. This strange and ancient plant has resisted all efforts to propagate it. Other unique plant species include the ""Rothmannia annae"" found only on Aride Island Special Reserve. The giant tortoises (""Aldabrachelys"") from Aldabra now populate many of the islands of the Seychelles. The Aldabra population is the largest in the world. These unique reptiles can be found even in captive herds. It has been reported that the granitic islands of Seychelles supported distinct species of Seychelles giant tortoises, but the status of the different populations is currently unclear. Two of them, Arnolds giant tortoise and the"
"6 inches in diameter. The tortoise is one of the rarest species of tortoise of earth, only about 2,000 to 3,000 are alive today. However because of its cryptic coloration and lack of activity, it makes it hard to create an accurate estimate of the population size. While it shares much of its superficial outer appearance with its relatives in the genus ""Psammobates"", it can be distinguished by the distinctively brightly coloured yellow stars of its shell scutes, the small nuchal and single axillary, the lack of buttock tubercles, and the only slightly upturned rear margins of the shell. The"
"lived at least 170 years. Spanish explorers, who discovered the islands in the 16th century, named them after the Spanish ""galápago"", meaning ""tortoise"". Shell size and shape vary between populations. On islands with humid highlands, the tortoises are larger, with domed shells and short necks; on islands with dry lowlands, the tortoises are smaller, with ""saddleback"" shells and long necks. Charles Darwin's observations of these differences on the second voyage of the ""Beagle"" in 1835, contributed to the development of his theory of evolution. Tortoise numbers declined from over 250,000 in the 16th century to a low of around 3,000"
"on the island atoll of Aldabra. Although some remnant individuals of ""A. g. hololissa"" and ""A. g. arnoldi"" may remain in captivity, in recent times, these have all been reduced as subspecies of ""A. g. gigantea"". The carapace is a brown or tan color with a high, domed shape. It has stocky, heavily scaled legs to support its heavy body. The neck of the Aldabra giant tortoise is very long, even for its great size, which helps the animal to exploit tree branches up to a meter from the ground as a food source. Similar in size to the famous"
"eastern part of Santa Cruz Island, with a population size estimated at about 250 individuals. ""C. porteri"" was shown to be part of a clade that includes the Floreana and southern Isabela tortoises, as well as specimens reputedly representing Rábida and Fernandina. The species received the scientific epithet ""donfaustoi"" in honor of Fausto Llerena Sánchez, who devoted 43 years to giant tortoise conservation as a park ranger within the Galapagos National Park Directorate. “Don Fausto” was the primary caretaker of endangered tortoises in captivity. ""C. donfaustoi"" is the fifteenth known tortoise species to be discovered on the islands, with four"
"is regarded as comparatively primitive and basal to other Testudinidae. The Asian forest tortoise is the largest tortoise in mainland Asia. The largest adults of the northern subspecies, ""Manouria emys phayrei"", can reach in the wild and much more than that in captivity. The carapace is considerably depressed, its depth not half its length; anterior and posterior margins reverted, more or less strongly serrated; nuchal present; two supracaudal shields; dorsal shields concentrically striated, often concave; vertebrals much broader than long and at least as broad as costals. The plastron is large, gular region somewhat produced and usually notched, hind lobe"
"home on bare rock and thin soil. They can drink from very shallow pools through their nostrils, and the name ""Dipsochelys"" refers to this remarkable adaptation. Remains have been found in the Canary Islands of two extinct species of large tortoises: the Tenerife giant tortoise (""Geochelone burchardi"") and the Gran Canaria giant tortoise (""Geochelone vulcanica""). These species are believed to have died out due to volcanic eruptions. The Canary Islands tortoises were similar to those currently found in the Galapagos and Seychelles. ""G. burchardi"" had a larger shell, with a length of approximately 65 to 94 cm, while ""G. vulcanica"""