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64-472: Popular with sailors and tourists, Academy Bay is bordered by the town of Puerto Ayora , the largest town in the Galápagos. Wildlife includes sea lions , and lava flows come up to the edge of the water. Scuba diving is particularly popular, as water temperatures remain comfortable year round (18–25 °C) and visibility is generally excellent (10–20 m). Academy Bay is an example of a graben structure:

128-628: A South American ancestor, while the Indian Ocean tortoises derived from ancestral populations on Madagascar. At the end of the 19th century, Georg Baur and Walter Rothschild recognised five more populations of Galápagos tortoise. In 1905–06, an expedition by the California Academy of Sciences , with Joseph R. Slevin in charge of reptiles, collected specimens which were studied by Academy herpetologist John Van Denburgh . He identified four additional populations, and proposed

192-470: A down-dropped block bound by faults. This kind of structure is characteristic of extensional deformation of the Earth's crust. 0°45′S 90°17′W  /  0.750°S 90.283°W  / -0.750; -90.283 This Ecuador location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Puerto Ayora Puerto Ayora is a town in central Galápagos , Ecuador . Located on

256-631: A greater chance of surviving the journey over water from the mainland as they can hold their heads a greater height above the water level and have a smaller surface area/volume ratio , which reduces osmotic water loss. Their significant water and fat reserves would allow the tortoises to survive long ocean crossings without food or fresh water, and to endure the drought-prone climate of the islands. A larger size allowed them to better tolerate extremes of temperature due to gigantothermy . Fossil giant tortoises from mainland South America have been described that support this hypothesis of gigantism that pre-existed

320-618: A large unprotected gap remains over the neck, evidence of the lack of predation during the evolution of this structure. Larger islands with humid highlands over 800 m (2,600 ft) in elevation, such as Santa Cruz, have abundant vegetation near the ground. Tortoises native to these environments tend to have domed shells and are larger, with shorter necks and limbs. Saddleback tortoises originate from small islands less than 500 m (1,600 ft) in elevation with dry habitats (e.g. Española and Pinzón) that are more limited in food and other resources. Two lineages of Galápagos tortoises possess

384-459: A natural mangrove where you can spot Whitetip Reef Sharks and the gigantic Galápagos tortoise . The Itabaca Channel is located between two islands in the Galápagos , Baltra Island , also known as South Seymour Island, and Santa Cruz Island . The Itabaca Channel is used by water taxis who take people from Baltra to Santa Cruz. Academy Bay is a busy harbor, normally full of boats cruising

448-509: Is a member of the team making this classification. Pinzón Island When it was discovered that the central, small island of Pinzón had only 100–200 very old adults and no young tortoises had survived into adulthood for perhaps more than 70 years, the resident scientists initiated what would eventually become the Giant Tortoise Breeding and Rearing Program. Over the next 50 years, this program resulted in major successes in

512-409: Is a very large species of tortoise in the genus Chelonoidis (which also contains three smaller species from mainland South America ). The species comprises 15 subspecies (13 extant and 2 extinct ). It is the largest living species of tortoise, and can weigh up to 417 kg (919 lb). They are also the largest extant terrestrial cold-blooded animals ( ectotherms ). With lifespans in

576-459: Is extensive with the Aldabra giant tortoise , however taken as a subspecies, the Galápagos tortoise seems to average slightly larger, with weights in excess of 185 kg (408 lb) being slightly more commonplace. Weights in the larger bodied subspecies range from 272 to 317 kg (600 to 699 lb) in mature males and from 136 to 181 kg (300 to 399 lb) in adult females. However,

640-588: Is taken to Puerto Ayora. From the Puerto Ayora docks water taxis wait to take passengers to their boats or to west Puerto Ayora. The municipal bus station ( Terminal ) is in the northwest of the town. There are also daily speed boats which take passengers to or from Puerto Ayora and the other inhabited islands of San Cristóbal or Isabela . Gal%C3%A1pagos tortoise 12 extant subspecies, 2 extinct subspecies See section The Galápagos tortoise or Galápagos giant tortoise ( Chelonoidis niger )

704-643: The Seychelles , and four from the Mascarenes . Günther hypothesized that all the giant tortoises descended from a single ancestral population which had spread by sunken land bridges . This hypothesis was later disproven by the understanding that the Galápagos, the atolls of Seychelles, and the Mascarene islands are all of recent volcanic origin and have never been linked to a continent by land bridges. Galápagos tortoises are now thought to have descended from

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768-630: The 1970s. This decline was caused by overexploitation of the subspecies for meat and oil, habitat clearance for agriculture, and introduction of non-native animals to the islands, such as rats, goats, and pigs. The extinction of most giant tortoise lineages is thought to have also been caused by predation by humans or human ancestors, as the tortoises themselves have no natural predators. Tortoise populations on at least three islands have become extinct in historical times due to human activities. Specimens of these extinct taxa exist in several museums and also are being subjected to DNA analysis. 12 subspecies of

832-797: The 19th century had resulted in the complete eradication of all young tortoises. Black rats had been eating both tortoise eggs and hatchlings, effectively destroying the future of the tortoise population. Only the longevity of giant tortoises allowed them to survive until the Galápagos National Park, Island Conservation , Charles Darwin Foundation, the Raptor Center, and Bell Laboratories removed invasive rats in 2012. In 2013, heralding an important step in Pinzón tortoise recovery, hatchlings emerged from native Pinzón tortoise nests on

896-533: The 19th century, and other giant tortoise radiations such as a Centrochelys radiation on the Canary Islands and another Chelonoidis radiation in the Caribbean were driven to extinction prior to that. The Galápagos Islands were discovered in 1535, but first appeared on the maps, of Gerardus Mercator and Abraham Ortelius , around 1570. The islands were named "Insulae de los Galopegos" (Islands of

960-487: The Cerro Fatal tortoises were described as a distinct taxon, donfaustoi . Prior to the identification of this subspecies through genetic analysis, it was noted that there existed differences in shells between the Cerro Fatal tortoises and other tortoises on Santa Cruz. By classifying the Cerro Fatal tortoises into a new taxon, greater attention can be paid to protecting its habitat, according to Adalgisa Caccone, who

1024-513: The Charles Darwin Research Station. The Town Hall ( Alcaldía ) is on Avenida Charles Darwin as well. Puerto Ayora is the best place in Galápagos for communicating with the outside world via numerous cybercafes with Internet access or telephone offices. Puerto Ayora emergency medical facilities include a new hospital opened in 2006 and the island's only hyperbaric chamber. There is a Health Center ( Centro de Salud ) in

1088-821: The Galápagos radiation found that the level of divergence within both clades may have been significantly overestimated, and supported once again reclassifying all Galápagos tortoises as subspecies of a single species, C. niger . This was followed by the Turtle Taxonomy Working Group and the Reptile Database later that year. The taxonomic status of the various races is not fully resolved. C. n. nigra ( nominate subspecies ) C. n. abingdoni C. n. becki C. n. chathamensis C. n. darwini C. n. duncanensis C. n. hoodensis C. n. phantastica C. n. porteri C. n. vicina Modern DNA methods have revealed new information on

1152-488: The Galápagos tortoise was considered to belong to the genus 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

1216-471: The Galápagos tortoises as a separate subspecies, which they named Testudo nigrita ("black tortoise"). The first systematic survey of giant tortoises was by the zoologist Albert Günther of the British Museum , in 1875. Günther identified at least five distinct populations from the Galápagos, and three from the Indian Ocean islands. He expanded the list in 1877 to six from the Galápagos, four from

1280-511: The San Diego Zoo and joined the breeding group. After 40 years' work reintroducing captive animals, a detailed study of the island's ecosystem has confirmed it has a stable, breeding population. Where once 15 were known, now more than 1,000 giant tortoises inhabit the island of Española. One research team has found that more than half the tortoises released since the first reintroductions are still alive, and they are breeding well enough for

1344-462: The Sierra Negra volcano, which was the first of the island's volcanoes to form. The tortoises then spread north to each newly created volcano, resulting in the populations living on Volcan Alcedo and then Volcan Darwin. Recent genetic evidence shows that these two populations are genetically distinct from each other and from the population living on Sierra Negra ( C. guentheri ) and therefore form

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1408-696: The Tortoises) in reference to the giant tortoises found there. Initially, the giant tortoises of the Indian Ocean and those from the Galápagos were thought to be the same subspecies. Naturalists thought that sailors had transported the tortoises there. In 1676, the pre-Linnaean authority Claude Perrault referred to both subspecies as Tortue des Indes . In 1783, Johann Gottlob Schneider classified all giant tortoises as Testudo indica ("Indian tortoise"). In 1812, August Friedrich Schweigger named them Testudo gigantea ("gigantic tortoise"). In 1834, André Marie Constant Duméril and Gabriel Bibron classified

1472-522: The archipelago, 14-15 subspecies of Galápagos tortoises have been identified, although only 12 survive to this day. Five are found on separate islands; five of them on the volcanoes of Isabela Island . Several of the surviving subspecies are seriously endangered. A 13th subspecies, C. n. abingdonii from Pinta Island , is extinct since 2012. The last known specimen, named Lonesome George , died in captivity on 24 June 2012; George had been mated with female tortoises of several other subspecies, but none of

1536-618: The back legs four. The discoverer of the Galápagos Islands, Fray Tomás de Berlanga, Bishop of Panama, wrote in 1535 of "such big tortoises that each could carry a man on top of himself." Naturalist Charles Darwin remarked after his trip three centuries later in 1835, "These animals grow to an immense size ... several so large that it required six or eight men to lift them from the ground". The largest recorded individuals have reached weights of over 400 kg (880 lb) and lengths of 1.87 meters (6.1 ft). Size overlap

1600-476: The best developed infrastructure in the archipelago. The larger of the two Galápagos banks, Banco del Pacifico, is located in Puerto Ayora. The walkable downtown area of Puerto Ayora is a small strip of hotels, restaurants, tour companies, gift shops, clothing stores, marine stores, tourist shops and night clubs. The main Avenue is named Avenida Charles Darwin and begins on the main dock of Puerto Ayora and finishes at

1664-443: The colonization of islands. Galápagos tortoises possess two main shell forms that correlate with the biogeographic history of the subspecies group. They exhibit a spectrum of carapace morphology ranging from "saddleback" (denoting upward arching of the front edge of the shell resembling a saddle) to "domed" (denoting a rounded convex surface resembling a dome). When a saddleback tortoise withdraws its head and forelimbs into its shell,

1728-467: The differences between the populations (sometimes called races ) from different islands and volcanoes, captive collections in zoos were indiscriminately mixed. Fertile offspring resulted from pairings of animals from different races. However, captive crosses between tortoises from different races have lower fertility and higher mortality than those between tortoises of the same race, and captives in mixed herds normally direct courtship only toward members of

1792-413: The eggs from these pairings hatched. The subspecies inhabiting Floreana Island ( C. niger ) is thought to have been hunted to extinction by 1850, only 15 years after Charles Darwin 's landmark visit of 1835, when he saw shells, but no live tortoises there. However, recent DNA testing shows that an intermixed, non-native population currently existing on the island of Isabela is of genetic resemblance to

1856-419: The existence of 15 subspecies. Van Denburgh's list still guides the taxonomy of the Galápagos tortoise, though now 10 populations are thought to have existed. The current specific designation of niger , formerly feminized to nigra ("black"— Quoy & Gaimard , 1824b ) was resurrected in 1984 after it was discovered to be the senior synonym (an older taxonomic synonym taking historical precedence) for

1920-413: The extinct subspecies of Floreana ( C. n. niger )—a subspecies known only from subfossil remains. Some tortoises from Isabela were found to be a partial match for the genetic profile of Floreana specimens from museum collections, possibly indicating the presence of hybrids from a population transported by humans from Floreana to Isabela, resulting either from individuals deliberately transported between

1984-422: The history of the islands and future conservation plans. Iglesia de San Francisco is a modern church which was built in 1968. Iglesia de Edén and Iglesia de la Calle E are modern churches in the northern part of Puerto Ayora with colourful wall paintings which are worth a visit as well. Tortuga Bay is a short walk from center of Puerto Ayora where you can view Marine Iguanas , birds, Galapagos Crabs and

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2048-585: The island and the Galápagos National Park successfully returned 118 hatchlings to their native island home. Partners returned to Pinzón Island in late 2014 and continued to observe hatchling tortoises (now older), indicating that natural recruitment is occurring on the island unimpeded. They also discovered a snail subspecies new to science. These exciting results highlight the conservation value of this important management action. In early 2015, after extensive monitoring, partners confirmed that Pinzón and Plaza Sur Islands are now both rodent-free. Española Island On

2112-419: The island for a long time after its sighting, leading to suggestions that the specimen was an artificial introduction from elsewhere. Fernandina has neither human settlements nor feral mammals, so if this subspecies ever did exist, its extinction would have been by natural means, such as volcanic activity. Nevertheless, there have occasionally been reports from Fernandina. In 2019, an elderly female specimen

2176-517: The island. Flights from continental Ecuador fly into either San Cristobal or to Baltra Island just off the north end of Santa Cruz. Two airlines that provide this are Avianca and LATAM Ecuador . The typical means to reach Puerto Ayora from the Baltra airport is a bus ride to the Itabaca Channel where a ferry ride is taken to Santa Cruz Island . Then another bus, courtesy vehicle or taxi

2240-523: The islands, or from individuals thrown overboard from ships to lighten the load. Nine Floreana descendants have been identified in the captive population of the Fausto Llerena Breeding Center on Santa Cruz; the genetic footprint was identified in the genomes of hybrid offspring. This allows the possibility of re-establishing a reconstructed subspecies from selective breeding of the hybrid animals. Furthermore, individuals from

2304-401: The islands, passing private yachts and local fishing boats. This bay is a good location to spot brown pelicans , golden rays , Marine iguanas , herons , lava gulls , Frigatebirds , Galápagos sea lions , and large numbers of Blue-footed boobies , which fish by spectacular plunge diving. North Seymour Island is an hour away by boat and has a wide array of animals with no people living on

2368-459: The limited evidence of bone fragments (but no shells, the most durable part) of 14 individuals, old eggs, and old dung found on the island in 1905–06. The island has never been inhabited by man nor had any introduced predators, but reports have been made of whalers hauling tortoises off the island. Later genetic studies of the bone fragments indicate that the Santa Fe subspecies was distinct, and

2432-409: The linking of nigra with the extinct Floreana subspecies. Later, Pritchard deemed it convenient to accept this designation, despite its tenuousness, for minimal disruption to the already confused nomenclature of the subspecies. The even more senior subspecies synonym of californiana ("californian" – Quoy & Gaimard , 1824a ) is considered a nomen oblitum ("forgotten name"). Previously,

2496-600: The mid-late 19th century. Conservation efforts, beginning in the 20th century, have resulted in thousands of captive-bred juveniles being released onto their ancestral home islands, and the total number of the subspecies is estimated to have exceeded 19,000 at the start of the 21st century. Despite this rebound, all surviving subspecies are classified as Threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature . The Galápagos tortoises are one of two insular radiations of giant tortoises that still survive to

2560-473: The modern day; the other is Aldabrachelys gigantea of Aldabra and the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean , 700 km (430 mi) east of Tanzania . While giant tortoise radiations were common in prehistoric times, humans have wiped out the majority of them worldwide; the only other radiation of tortoises to survive to historic times, Cylindraspis of the Mascarenes , was driven to extinction by

2624-545: The northern part of Puerto Ayora as well. Most of the locals live in the northern part of the town where various schools, a market hall and a sports center were built. Most of the shops, hardware stores and grocery stores there can be found in Calle Baltra and Calle Durán. The stadium is in the northwest of the center close to the bus station. Fresh water is at a premium on the island and in this town. Locals practice water conservation and typically collect rainwater during

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2688-450: The original 14–15 survive in the wild; a 13th subspecies ( C. n. abingdonii ) had only a single known living individual, kept in captivity and nicknamed Lonesome George until his death in June 2012. Two other subspecies, C. n. niger (the type subspecies of Galápagos tortoise) from Floreana Island and an undescribed subspecies from Santa Fe Island are known to have gone extinct in

2752-431: The population to progress onward, unaided. In January 2020, it was widely reported that Diego, a 100-year-old male tortoise, resurrected 40% of the tortoise population on the island and is known as the "Playboy Tortoise". Fernandina Island The C. n. phantasticus subspecies from Fernandina was originally known from a single specimen—an old male from the voyage of 1905–06. No other tortoises or remains were found on

2816-674: The rainy season. There is a desalination plant on the island. Many facilities have separate water systems with varying degrees of use/quality. For example, water used for cleaning/showering may not be drinkable. Home to both the Charles Darwin Foundation and the Galápagos National Park , Puerto Ayora is the center of the Galápagos conservation efforts. Island visitors may visit the Charles Darwin Research Station to learn

2880-407: The recovery of giant tortoise populations throughout the archipelago. In 1965, the first tortoise eggs collected from natural nests on Pinzón Island were brought to the Charles Darwin Research Station, where they would complete the period of incubation and then hatch, becoming the first young tortoises to be reared in captivity. The introduction of black rats onto Pinzón sometime in the latter half of

2944-468: The regions of Cerro Montura, Cerro Fatal, and La Caseta. Although traditionally grouped into a single subspecies ( C. n. porteri ), the lineages are all more closely related to tortoises on other islands than to each other: Cerro Montura tortoises are most closely related to C. n. duncanensis from Pinzón, Cerro Fatal to C. n. chathamensis from San Cristóbal, and La Caseta to the four southern races of Isabela as well as Floreana tortoises. In 2015,

3008-407: The relationships between the subspecies: Isabela Island The five populations living on the largest island, Isabela, are the ones that are the subject of the most debate as to whether they are true subspecies or just distinct populations of a subspecies. It is widely accepted that the population living on the northernmost volcano, Volcan Wolf, is genetically independent from the four populations to

3072-404: The same race. The valid scientific names of each of the individual populations are not universally accepted, and some researchers still consider each subspecies to be distinct species. Prior to 2021, all subspecies were classified as distinct species from one another, but a 2021 study analyzing the level of divergence within the extinct West Indian Chelonoidis radiation and comparing it to

3136-550: The search for an appropriate mate for Lonesome George , which had been penned with females from Isabela. Hope was bolstered by the discovery of a C. n. abingdonii hybrid male in the Volcán Wolf population on northern Isabela, raising the possibility that more undiscovered living Pinta descendants exist. Santa Cruz Island Mitochondrial DNA studies of tortoises on Santa Cruz show up to three genetically distinct lineages found in nonoverlapping population distributions around

3200-442: The shells of these slow-moving animals. Tortoises keep a characteristic scute (shell segment) pattern on their shells throughout life, though the annual growth bands are not useful for determining age because the outer layers are worn off with time. A tortoise can withdraw its head, neck, and fore limbs into its shell for protection. The legs are large and stumpy, with dry, scaly skin and hard scales . The front legs have five claws,

3264-554: The size is variable across the islands and subspecies; those from Pinzón Island are relatively small with a maximum known weight of 76 kg (168 lb) and carapace length of approximately 61 cm (24 in) compared to 75 to 150 cm (30 to 59 in) range in tortoises from Santa Cruz Island . The tortoises' gigantism was probably a trait useful on continents that was fortuitously helpful for successful colonisation of these remote oceanic islands rather than an example of evolved insular gigantism . Large tortoises would have

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3328-502: The south and is therefore a separate subspecies. It is thought to be derived from a different colonization event than the others. A colonization from the island of Santiago apparently gave rise to the Volcan Wolf subspecies ( C. n. becki ) while the four southern populations are believed to be descended from a second colonization from the more southerly island of Santa Cruz. Tortoises from Santa Cruz are thought to have first colonized

3392-429: The southern island of Española, only 14 adult tortoises were found, two males and 12 females. The tortoises apparently were not encountering one another, so no reproduction was occurring. Between 1963 and 1974, all 14 adult tortoises discovered on the island were brought to the tortoise center on Santa Cruz and a tortoise breeding program was initiated. In 1977, a third Española male tortoise was returned to Galapagos from

3456-649: The southern shore of Santa Cruz Island , it is the seat of Santa Cruz Canton. The town is named in honor of Isidro Ayora , an Ecuadorian president. The town is sometimes mistakenly referred to as Santa Cruz. Puerto Ayora is the most populous town in the Galápagos Islands , with a population of 12,696. Puerto Ayora has a protected location, along the shores of Academy Bay , where a refreshing breeze often provides pleasant weather. Temperatures vary between 18 and 29 °C (64 and 84 °F). The hot season usually runs from December to May. Puerto Ayora has

3520-644: The subspecies C. n. vandenburghi (Alcedo) and C. n. microphyes (Darwin). The fifth population living on the southernmost volcano ( C. n. vicina ) is thought to have split off from the Sierra Negra population more recently and is therefore not as genetically different as the other two. Isabela is the most recently formed island tortoises inhabit, so its populations have had less time to evolve independently than populations on other islands, but according to some researchers, they are all genetically different and should each be considered as separate subspecies. Floreana Island Phylogenetic analysis may help to "resurrect"

3584-414: The subspecies native to Floreana, suggesting that C. niger has not gone entirely extinct. The existence of the C. n. phantastica subspecies of Fernandina Island was disputed, as it was described from a single specimen that may have been an artificial introduction to the island; however, a live female was found in 2019, likely confirming the subspecies' validity. Prior to widespread knowledge of

3648-426: The subspecies on the islands of San Cristóbal ( C. n. chathamensis ) and Española ( C. n. hoodensis ) which lie over 300 km (190 mi) away, rather than that on the neighbouring island of Isabela as previously assumed. This relationship is attributable to dispersal by the strong local current from San Cristóbal towards Pinta. This discovery informed further attempts to preserve the C. n. abingdonii lineage and

3712-461: The subspecies possibly are still extant. Genetic analysis from a sample of tortoises from Volcan Wolf found 84 first-generation C. n. niger hybrids, some less than 15 years old. The genetic diversity of these individuals is estimated to have required 38 C. n. niger parents, many of which could still be alive on Isabela Island. Pinta Island The Pinta Island subspecies ( C. n. abingdonii , now extinct) has been found to be most closely related to

3776-443: The then commonly used subspecies name of elephantopus ("elephant-footed" – Harlan , 1827 ). Quoy and Gaimard's Latin description explains the use of nigra: "Testudo toto corpore nigro" means "tortoise with completely black body". Quoy and Gairmard described nigra from a living specimen, but no evidence indicates they knew of its accurate provenance within the Galápagos – the locality was in fact given as California. Garman proposed

3840-467: 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 15,000 in

3904-562: The wild of over 100 years, it is one of the longest-lived vertebrates . Captive Galapagos tortoises can live up to 177 years. For example, a captive individual, Harriet , lived for at least 175 years. Spanish explorers, who discovered the islands in the 16th century, named them after the Spanish galápago , meaning "tortoise". Galápagos tortoises are native to seven of the Galápagos Islands . Shell size and shape vary between subspecies and populations. On islands with humid highlands,

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3968-474: Was finally discovered on Fernandina and transferred to a breeding center, and trace evidence found on the expedition indicates that more individuals likely exist in the wild. It has been theorized that the rarity of the subspecies may be due to the harsh habitat it survives in, such as the lava flows that are known to frequently cover the island. The extinct Santa Fe subspecies has not yet been described and thus has no binomial name , having been identified from

4032-504: Was most closely related to C. n. hoodensis . A population of C. n. hoodensis has since been reintroduced to and established on the island to fill in the ecological role of the Santa Fe tortoise. Subspecies of doubtful existence The purported Rábida Island subspecies ( C. n. wallacei ) was described from a single specimen collected by the California Academy of Sciences in December 1905, which has since been lost. This individual

4096-418: Was probably an artificial introduction from another island that was originally penned on Rábida next to a good anchorage, as no contemporary whaling or sealing logs mention removing tortoises from this island. The tortoises have a large bony shell of a dull brown or grey color. The plates of the shell are fused with the ribs in a rigid protective structure that is integral to the skeleton. Lichens can grow on

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