The iconic Galapagos giant tortoise is the world’s largest terrestrial reptile and an important keystone species. Giant tortoises are ‘ecosystem engineers’, shaping their environment by breaking up dense vegetation, wallowing in muddy ponds and dispersing seeds, creating opportunities for other species to flourish.
Tortoises were driven to extinction on some islands due to overexploitation as a food source by sailors and settlers, along with the introduction of invasive species such as goats, pigs, dogs, cats, donkeys and rodents. Tortoise populations are now slowly recovering and they have been reintroduced to several islands where they had disappeared, but threats to their survival remain, including the growing menace of plastic waste and other pollution. We are long-term supporters of the Galapagos Tortoise Movement Ecology Programme, which has given us a greatly improved understanding of tortoise behaviour and what these animals need to thrive. We are also working with local communities to protect tortoises in the places where their habitat overlaps with urban and agricultural areas.
12
out of 15 Galapagos tortoise species survive in the Archipelago
177
years old – the oldest recorded giant tortoise kept in captivity
7
islands in Galapagos are now home to giant tortoises
4
islands in Galapagos where giant tortoises live alongside humans
The major threats to giant tortoise populations, namely invasive species, urbanisation, climate change and land-use change, all stem from human activity. Giant tortoises follow ancient migration routes, moving between highland and lowland areas to feed, and these migrations bring them into contact with people on those islands where humans also live. Their paths can be blocked by fences, roads, livestock enclosures or dense stands of invasive plants. By improving our understanding of the ecological needs of the tortoises, we can put in place measures to reduce instances of human-wildlife conflict and protect tortoises from harm.
For over a decade, Galapagos Conservation Trust has helped to track these migrations, teaching us how giant tortoises behave, and what they need to survive. After decades of decline, numbers are slowly recovering.
Our support for the Galapagos Tortoise Movement Ecology Programme is helping to reduce the harmful impacts that people have on giant tortoises by identifying the areas where these animals live and travel through, tracking how their populations change over time, and examining how their health is affected by human activity.
Building on more than a decade of research, we are also helping to put solutions into action, from tortoise-friendly farming and nest protection to reducing road collisions and tackling pollution. We are funding research into the presence of chemical pollution in the ponds used by tortoises for bathing, and we are supporting our local partners Frente Insular de la Reserva Marina de Galápagos to carry out community clean-ups along tortoise migration routes on Santa Cruz island.
Giant tortoises hold a special place in the hearts of the Galapagos community. We have lived alongside each other for many years, sharing the same streets and ancient forests, and we are determined to help them continue their vital migrations.
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Our work with Galapagos giant tortoises aims to:
Please help us save the Galapagos giant tortoise by donating today or by adopting a tortoise.
