Wildlife
In the Galápagos Islands, giant tortoises roam freely after becoming one of the most decimated species in the volcanic archipelago
“Tortoise on the right!” Our naturalist guide Dennis Ballesteros shouts from the front of the van. I’m sitting on the edge of my seat, camera held high, ready to capture the giant. “He looks young, maybe 40 or 50 years old,” says Ballesteros. I look out the window, and sure enough, the rock-like animal is sitting just off the side of the road, partially hidden under a vibrant hibiscus bush. A few moments later, we pass by another tortoise, then another and another…
The van pulls into Rancho El Manzanillo, a nature preserve on Santa Cruz Island (the second-largest island in the Galápagos), home to dozens of giant tortoises. We begin spotting multiple tortoises roaming freely in the carefully maintained pastures within minutes. How best to describe these wrinkled, gentle giants? Prehistoric, majestic, ancient, cumbersome — definitely. Amazing — that, too…
“You might feel like you are walking in Jurassic Park,” says Ballestros. A naturalist guide in the Galápagos Islands, Ballestros has been working with Metropolitan Touring for more than 16 years in this part of the world. It is, he says, one of the most beautiful places on Earth.
Pioneers of sustainable expedition travel in South America, Metropolitan Touring has been sharing the continent’s wonders since 1953. Firm believers in the regenerative power of travel, the team hosts like-minded travellers committed to learning about nature and our responsibility to the natural world in the time of climate change. This includes highlighting the repatriation of Galápagos tortoises and educating visitors about Earth’s longest-living, largest and rarest reptiles.
“Everything is possible here in the Galapagos,” says Ballestros. “Even if you have been here before, every day is different.” He stands beside one tortoise, highlighting its attributes and using it as a slow-moving model for his talk. He explains that the tortoises can eat 40 to 50 pounds (18-22 kilos) of grass each day. This comes as no surprise, as we admire the giant munching along steadfastly just a few feet away. The tortoise turns its head in my direction and gives a slow blink as if to say, “You bet I eat 50 pounds of grass,” before it hobbles along to its next stop.
These ancient reptiles lived in isolation on the Galápagos for millions of years, evolving to become Earth’s largest living tortoise species. An endemic species, these iconic giants are found nowhere else on Earth. However, in recent centuries, their history became deeply intertwined with human activity.
In the 16th century, Spanish explorers “discovered” giant tortoises. However, the tortoises were already known to the local populations, who had interacted with them long before Europeans arrived.
The Galapagos Conservation Trust attributes the tortoises’ decline to a combination of human activities — exploitation by whalers, pirates, and fur sealers, as well as the introduction of destructive species to the islands, such as pigs, dogs, and cats.
Not only can giant tortoises live for more than a year without food and water, but they also continue to grow. Because of this, sailors would capture the tortoises and bring them onboard, treating them as a food source on long voyages. The tortoise’s fat could also be turned into oil to fuel lamps. The species, which has a slow reproductive rate, was decimated. After centuries of exploitation, the tortoise population declined from more than 250,000 in the 16th century to a low of 8,000 to 15,000 in the 1970s.
By the late 1800s and early 1900s, many subspecies of the Galápagos tortoise were on the verge of extinction. The story of Lonesome George, the last Pinta Island tortoise, is one of the most well-known and tragic stories of the islands. A conservation icon, Lonesome George helped raise awareness about the plight of many unique species living in the Galápagos for many years before his death in 2012 at the age of about 100. Now, only 12 living species of tortoises exist across 10 islands. Since then, conservation efforts have been vital in stabilizing populations, but many species remain at risk.
Listening to a giant Galápagos tortoise breathe might be one of the most incredible wildlife experiences I’ve had. Crouching with my camera no less than two metres away, I look one of the larger tortoises straight in the eyes and can’t help but wonder what it is thinking. This specific tortoise is likely more than 120 years old, and despite my presence and the clicking of my camera, it seems unbothered. “Tortoises only have three heartbeats per minute,” says Ballestros. “The slowest heart rate of all animals on Galápagos.”
When British naturalist Charles Darwin arrived in the Galápagos in 1835, he was struck by how the traits of tortoises varied across the islands. This observation led him to explore evolution, which in turn led to the pivotal scientific treatise On the Origin of Species.
Each of the 12 giant Galápagos tortoise subspecies exhibits slight differences in size, shape and behaviour. What they all have in common is that they are of conservation concern. It will take a multi-pronged, multi-institutional effort to safeguard their future against today’s threats — invasive species, the climate crisis, habitat loss, and the introduction of new diseases.
In collaboration with the Galápagos National Park Directorate, the Charles Darwin Foundation, and the Saint Louis Zoo Institute for Conservation Medicine, the Galapagos Tortoise Movement Ecology Program (GTMEP) was launched in 2009 to provide applied science and education programs to support stakeholders. The ultimate goal: to conserve giant Galapagos tortoises.
By studying the many aspects of the tortoise’s biology, researchers are working to understand migration patterns, health impacts, potential threats and conservation solutions. Engaging local communities through education and training opportunities has also helped the GTMEP make significant strides in revitalizing giant tortoises.
Walking through the enclosures housing baby giant Galápagos tortoises at the Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS) is an unusual experience. On one side, dozens of two-year-old tortoises are balancing on small logs, rubbing against each other and lining up against the walls, perhaps for shade. Just steps away, on the other side of a path, a 500-pound 90-year-old tortoise wanders its enclosure. Weighing just 80 grams when it hatches, a baby giant Galapagos tortoise could easily fit in a human hand. In contrast, the 500-pound (225-kilo) giant looks like a small tank.
I peer over a rock wall and into the eyes of yet another giant tortoise. This one is presumably in captivity at the centre after being rescued or surrendered, having once been a pet.
I find myself speaking to him, telling him how cute he is and how much I love his “old-man face.” He seems to want to make a connection, reaching his head out and extending it several feet in my direction. “It is the best example of a living rubber band,” says Francisco Dousdebés, another naturalist guide. This subspecies — the Santa Cruz with its distinctive saddle back — can extend its neck to 1.7 metres.
The work at the CDRS plays a crucial role in protecting the Galápagos giant tortoise habitat, while the chance to view tortoises at its captive breeding program draws visitors from around the world. During these visits, guests can become more familiar with efforts to conserve this incredible species and ultimately be part of the solution, including advocating for habitat protection and supporting organizations like the CDRS.
While challenges remain, the story of the Galápagos tortoise is one of hope. The resilience of these creatures, combined with the tireless work of conservationists, means we can now contemplate a future in which the iconic tortoises of the Galápagos will continue to roam the islands for generations to come.
Wildlife
Plus: 3,000 illegal shark fins seized by the DFO, Atlantic Canada’s seals under investigation, salmon use ‘cooling stations’ to de-stress, and 16-kilogram tortoise found wandering spinach patch
Wildlife
Plus: a sticky new way to track polar bears, curious squirrel behaviour, Canada’s answer to the Galapagos and the algal experiment blasting off into space.
Environment
Though it’s the largest ecosystem on Earth, we know less about the deep ocean than the surface of the moon. As the threat of mining looms, will its fate be decided before we know enough to make such a far-reaching choice?
Travel
Marine iguanas. Giant tortoises. Blue-footed boobies. Mangrove finches — and about 200,000 tourists a year: The evolution of conservation and adventure in the Galapagos Islands.