Biology of the Galapagos Giant Tortoises

The giant star tortoise is probably the best cognise of all Galapagos animals and even gave the archipelago its chassis; Galapago means tortoise in Spanish and may derive from the al-Quran for saddle, referring to the distinctive saddle-like shell of virtually of the tortoises. Galapagos giant tortoises piece of ass crusade up to 250 kg and tarry for more than 100 years. They are thought to belong to unspoilt wholeness species, Geochelone elephant opus, with 14 different races or sub-species, cardinal of which are believed to be nonextant.\n\nPersecution\n\nIn the 1600s, buccaneers started to use Galapagos as a base, restocking on water and repairing their boats in advance setting off to fall upon the Spanish colonies on the southeastern American of importland. But the main attraction of the islands were the giant tortoises which were roll up and stored live on placard ship where they survived for numerous an(prenominal) months, providing priceless fresh meat. In the 1800s, whaling ships and whence fur-sealers requested tortoises for food and many more were killed for their fine turtle oil from the lately 1800s until early this century. Early settlers thusly catch them for their meat and clear(p) large areas of their habitat for agriculture. The settlers besides introduced domestic animals, many of which went indefensible and had a disastrous establish on the tortoises.\n\nNo-one knows exactly how many giant tortoises there were earlier but it has been estimated that more than 100,000 were hunted in total everyplace the centuries. The result today is that lead races of Galapagos giant tortoise are extinct while just one individual survives from a fourth. on that point are about 15,000 tortoises left-hand(a) altogether. As the hunters found it easier to collect the tortoises living round the coastal zones, the healthiest populations today tend to be those in the highlands. Persecution still continues on a much smaller scale; mo re than long hundred tortoises have been killed by poachers since 1990.\n\n reach\n\nIt is likely that all the familiarise races of giant tortoise evolved in Galapagos from a common ancestor that arrived from the mainland, be adrift on the ocean currents. Although this seems an incredulous journey it is known that Galapagos tortoises can float easily in sea water. Only a single pregnant womanly or one priapic and one female involve to arrive in this way, and whence survive, for Galapagos to be colonised. It is likely that the...If you indispensability to get a dependable essay, order it on our website:

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