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are the giant tortoises for which the Galápagos Islands are famous (and
for which they were named -- galápago means tortoise in
Spanish). No one is really sure how long they live, but it is well over
one hundred years. Different islands have created different species of
tortoises.
In the days of sailing ships, the Galápagos Islands were a favored port for sailors. They would capture tortoises by the thousands and place them upside down in the holds of the ships, where they would survive for more than a year without food or water. This cruel practice gave the sailors a source of fresh meat at sea, but almost wiped out the tortoise population. |
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