A message on the topic of elephant tortoise. Galapagos or elephant tortoise

Very large turtle with a carapace length up to 122 cm and body weight up to 300 kg. On large islands, males are slightly larger than females. There are significant differences in shell size and shape among different populations, on the basis of which they can be divided into two main groups: 1. On small arid islands, turtles are small in size with saddle-shaped carapaces and longer, thinner legs. The weight of females is up to 27 kg, males up to 54 kg. The differences in size between males and females are more pronounced. 2. On large wet islands live larger individuals with a high dome-shaped carapace. It is believed that the saddle-shaped carapace allows turtles to penetrate and hide in dense, tough vegetation.

They feed on the green vegetation of the islands, including shrubs and grasses, which are poisonous to other animals. Daytime activity.

Mating occurs at any time of the year, but there are seasonal peaks of greatest sexual activity.

Females lay up to 22 almost spherical eggs with a diameter of 5-^6 cm and weighing up to 70 g.

In 1959, Ecuador banned the capture of turtles, the collection of eggs and their export, and the Galapagos were declared a National Park. Since 1970, the export of turtles that have bred in captivity or in the wild has been prohibited from leaving Ecuador. Since 1969, US Law 91-135 has prohibited the import of these turtles into the country. Predators and competitors are destroyed. Turtle nests are protected by fences made of volcanic lava. The eggs are transported to the Charles Darwin Research Station for incubation. Young turtles return to historical territories after they reach a certain size.

Methods for artificial insemination of females are being developed. At Ch. Darwin's station there has been success in breeding some subspecies. A breeding colony of C has been created. e., hoodensis. Reproduces successfully S. e. elephantopus at the Honolulu Zoo. Several individuals of the elephant tortoise are kept in zoos in Zurich, Sydney, and other places.

There are 12 extant subspecies endemic to the Galapagos Islands. All of them are included in the IUCN Red List and Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade as endangered.

Rothschild's elephant tortoise Chelonoidis elephantopus becki (Rothschild, 1901)

Inhabits the northern and western slopes of Wolf Volcano on the island. Isabela (Albemarle), The population numbers approximately 2,000 individuals and its reproductive potential is assessed as positive.

The number of turtles on the island is reduced by feral cats and black rats that eat eggs and young animals.

Chatham elephant tortoise Chelonoidis elephantopus chathamensis (Van Denburg, 1907)

Inhabits the northeast of the island. San Cristobal (Chatham). The population numbers about 500-700 individuals. The normal restoration of the population is also hampered by the trampling of nests by donkeys and the destruction of young animals by feral dogs. Eggs from wild nests are transported for further incubation to the Charles Darwin Research Station. In 1979 on the island. 139 young turtles were returned to San Cristobal.

Darwin's elephant tortoise Chelonoidis elephantopus darvini (Van Denburg, 1907)

Inhabits the west of the central part of the island. San Salvador. Most of the population was removed from the island at the beginning of the 19th century. whaling ships. After the massive introduction of goats, the green coastal lowlands were turned into deserts. Nests and young turtles are destroyed by free-ranging pigs. The sex ratio in the population is unbalanced. There are more males than females. The reproductive success of the population began to decline sharply 50 years ago. The nests are protected, and since 1970, eggs have been transported to the Charles Darwin Research Station for incubation. On about. 115 individuals were returned to San Salvador.

Common elephant turtle Chelonoidis elephantopus elephantopus (Harlan, 1875)

Distributed in the east of the island. Isabela (Albemarle) (Fig. 34). The range of the subspecies overlaps with S. E. guentheri and perhaps the two taxa should be combined.

The population was greatly undermined by sailors in the 19th and 20th centuries. and extensive trapping in the late 50s and 60s by livestock traders. Currently there are about 700 individuals. Mating and nesting in natural conditions is still observed, although very few young animals have been found in nature. The population is greatly undermined by dogs, cats and pigs. Eggs and young animals are transported to the Charles Darwin Research Station. Since 1971, 114 grown individuals have been returned to the wild.

Duncan elephant turtle Chelonoidis elephantopus ephippium (Gunther, 1875)

Inhabits the southwestern slopes of the island. Pinzon (Duncan) (Fig. 35). It was exported in large quantities by expeditions at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. There are now about 150 adult individuals preserved. Black rats introduced to the island destroy turtle nests and natural regeneration of the population does not occur.

Rice. 34. Common elephant turtle Chelonoidis elephantopus elephantopus

Rice. 35. Duncan elephant tortoise Chelonoidis elephantopus ephippium

Since 1965, eggs began to be transported for artificial incubation to Charles Darwin's research station, and 182 grown individuals were returned to the island.

Guenther's elephant tortoise Chelonoidis elephantopus guentheri (Baur. 1889)

Lives on the slopes of the Sierra Negra volcano on the island. Isabela (Albemarle). The destruction of the population, begun by sailors and colonists, continued until the 1950s. Now about 500 individuals have survived, divided into two groups. About 300 turtles live on the eastern and about 200 on the western and southwestern slopes of the Sierra Negra volcano. Natural reproduction may be more or less successful on eastern slopes; in the west, masonry is destroyed by rats, cats, dogs and pigs.

Hispaniola elephant tortoise Chelonoidis elephantopus hoodensis (Van Denburg, 1907)

Lives on o. Hispaniola (Fig. 36). It was heavily exploited by whalers in the 19th century. At the beginning of the 1970s, only 14 adult individuals (2 males and 12 females) were found, which were transported for breeding to the Charles Darwin Research Station. 79 young turtles were returned to the island, and 50 were left at the station for further work on the reproduction and restoration of the subspecies.

Isabel elephant tortoise Chelonoidis elephantopus microphyes (Gunther, 1875)

Inhabits the southern and western slopes of the Darwin volcano on the island. Isabela. In the 19th century harvested in large quantities by whaling ships. Now the population numbers from 500 to 1000 individuals. Reproduction appears to be successful. The population is severely undermined by rats, feral cats, dogs and pigs.

Rice. 36. Hispaniola elephant tortoise Chelonoidis elephantopus hoodensis

Black elephant turtle Chelonoidis elephantopus nigrita (Dumeril et Bibron, 1835)

Lives on o. Santa Cruz. Some taxonomists combine it with a subspecific form S. e. porteri.

Santacruz elephant tortoise Chelonoidis elephantopus porteri (Rotschild, 1903)

The main population lives in the southwest of the island. Santa Cruz. A small number of turtles remain in the northwest. In total there are 2000-3000 recent individuals. The exploitation of turtles for fat harvesting continued until the 1930s.

The breeding efficiency of the population has been undermined for many years by predation by dogs and pigs. Every year, 15-20 young turtles are taken to the Charles Darwin Research Station for breeding.

Vandenburg's elephant tortoise Chelonoidis elephantopus vandenburghi (Mertens et Wermuth, 1955)

Inhabits the Caldera and the southern slopes of the Aldero volcano on the island. Isabela. The largest population of tortoises is in the Galapagos, numbering approximately 5,000 individuals. Its natural reproduction is carried out successfully.

Jervis elephant tortoise Chelonoidis elephantopus wallacei (Rotschild, 1902)

There is practically no data on the ecology of the subspecies. Found on o. Jervis in the Galapagos Islands group.

More interesting articles

Geochelone nigra (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824), or Geochelone elephantopus (Harlan, 1827)

Elephant turtles are the most famous and famous representatives fauna of the Galapagos archipelago. The islands themselves on which they live are named in their honor.

Translated from Spanish - "galapago" means " big turtle". True, it cannot be said that such popularity brought these giants great happiness: even in the era of great geographical discoveries, sailors and pirates of all stripes filled the holds of their ships with resigned “live canned food.” According to one source, over three centuries, about 200 thousand were destroyed, according to others - about ten million unfortunate reptiles.

According to Charles Darwin, all the giant tortoises living in the Seychelles and subsequently extinct in Mauritius were combined into one View Testudo indica. The scientist identified the inhabitants of the Galapagos archipelago as a separate species, Testudo nigra.

The currently used species name is Geochelone nigra. At the same time, the five-language dictionary of the names of amphibians and reptiles, published in 1988, defines elephant turtle like Geochelone elephantopus.

Appearance

IN GENERAL THE GENUS Geochelone is represented by a number of small and medium-sized land turtles that live in South America and Africa. Asia and Madagascar. Fossil evidence suggests that large species of Geochelone lived on all continents except Australia, but today the giant forms of this genus are limited to representatives of the elephant or Galapagos Geochelone nigra and Aldabran G. giganleti (Seychelles) tortoises. These two species, almost identical in size, are the largest of the land turtles.

The length of the carapace (upper part of the shell) of an adult elephant tortoise reaches 1.5 m. Giants weigh on average 150 - 200 kg, but there are individuals weighing up to 400 kg. Males are noticeably larger than females and have a longer tail. The shell of an adult turtle resembles a black horny shield, although lichens that sometimes settle on the carapace can give it a spotted color. Young ones are much more variegated in color: black tones and light, often yellowish, stripes and spots predominate.

Elephant-like, with large black scales, five-fingered limbs are armed with massive claws. The head, covered with thick shields, is set on a long neck. The skin gathers like an accordion when the head is pulled under the shell. Big eyes located in a straight line with the nostrils, along with keratinized jaws resembling a beak, and give the turtle predatory species, unusual for the lifestyle of this peace-loving creature. The jaws have comb-like edges and are designed for grinding tough plant foods. The external auditory canal is absent.

In total, 14 subspecies of the Galapagos tortoise have been described to date, three of which are considered extinct, and only one representative of the subspecies G. nigra abingdoni from Pinta Island remains - an elderly 77-year-old male. He was given the appropriate name - Lonely George and was included in the Guinness Book of Records as the loneliest creature on the planet. They have been trying to find a mate for him for a long time, but so far without success. Lonesome George is a representative of one of six subspecies inhabiting the six islands of the archipelago (each subspecies has an island), the other five inhabit Isabella Island (here each subspecies lives on its own volcano).

Nicholas Lawson, acting British governor of the Galapagos Islands, drew the attention of Charles Darwin to the differences between turtles from different islands during their walk on Charles Island. Then Lawson noted that the turtles differed so much that he could say with certainty which turtle came from which island. In fact, this became one of the facts that formed the basis of “The Origin of Species” and allowed Darwin to note in his “Voyage of the Beagle”: “I could never imagine that islands located at a distance of 50-60 miles from each other, consisting of exactly the same stones, characterized by the same climate indicators, rising to the same height, can be inhabited by such different creatures." In fact, on each of the seven islands on which elephant turtles have survived in our time, the climatic and natural conditions differ from each other, which is explained by different humidification regimes, the presence or absence of sources fresh water and characteristics of vegetation cover.

All subspecies of the Galapagos tortoise can be divided into two morphotypes: dome-shaped and saddle-shelled. In the former, the front line of the shell is close to the neck, and in the latter, the same part of the shell in the shape of an arch rises above the neck of the reptile. Differences in the shape of the shell are due to the habitat and the method of obtaining food. Dome-shelled turtles prefer moist, high-altitude areas and feed on grass and low-growing shrubs. Saddleback turtles live in dry areas and eat more tall plants. The saddle-shaped shell allows its owner to stretch his neck high up, giving it a vertical position.

Area of ​​distribution and features of biology

The area of ​​distribution of the elephant tortoise is limited to the islands of the Galapagos archipelago. It is assumed that the ancestors of the elephant turtle came from the South American continent to the islands on tree trunks at the beginning of the Pleistocene, i.e. about a million years ago. Although such a journey (almost 1000 kilometers) seems incredible, it is reliably known that giant turtles can safely stay in salt water. Now scientists even “dare” to name the first island of the archipelago on which the ancestor of this species came and from where it gradually spread to the other islands of San Cristobal. The closest relative of the Galapagos tortoise is called the small (up to 22 cm) tortoise Geochelone chilensis, which lives in Argentina and Uruguay.

Turtles spend most of the year on high, damp slopes of hills and volcanoes, where the nights are quite cool. From time to time they descend into the lowlands. On some islands, giant reptiles look for places where the weather is more favorable during the rainy season. warm weather, and remain there until the dry season. During migrations they live in groups of 20-30 individuals different ages. In such a group, each turtle exists independently, without even trying to interact with each other, with the exception of the breeding season.

During the daytime, animals usually explore the surrounding area in search of food. Stretching their necks upward or lowering their heads to the ground, they eat any plants, be it grass or shrubs, but they prefer manchinella and prickly pear cactus, from whose thickened shoots they also obtain moisture. Holding the plant with a movable thick tongue, they cut it off with the jagged edges of their jaws. Turtles, slowly, with dignity. wander along the paths trodden by generations of their predecessors, stopping from time to time to eat. These trails, made by heavy reptiles, are an integral part of the island landscapes. Elephant turtles drink a lot and greedily; sometimes this procedure lasts up to 45 minutes.

At night, the animals settle down to sleep in common rookeries, which are either a hole dug in loose earth, or where there are puddles or swampy lowlands, preferring to plunge into liquid mud, but not forgetting to stretch their legs. If there are no such comfortable conditions, then they simply climb deep into the thorny bushes.

Previously, it was believed that the mating period coincides with the rainy season, which begins in January. However, in the southwest of Isabel Island, mating occurs from July to October, and more than 100 km away on Santa Cruz Island, from November to April. Fertilization is preceded by ritual fights between males for females, and the males of one subspecies have a sequence of movements that does not coincide with that of the males of another, which avoids crossing between different subspecies. The male sniffs, catching the scent of a sexually mature female. Having discovered her, he begins a process of obsessive courtship, accompanied by intimidation of his friend. First, he rams her with the front of his shell, and then, literally, immobilizes her by biting the female’s unprotected legs until she pulls them into the shell. Then mating occurs, during which the males emit very loud, hoarse cries that can be heard at a great distance.

Before laying eggs, females dig a pitcher-shaped hole with their hind legs, 20 to 40 cm deep, in muddy soil in areas that serve many generations of females for this purpose. They choose places well warmed by the sun. An average of nine (2-12) spherical eggs up to approximately 70 mm in diameter and weighing about 100 grams each are laid in the hole. The female buries the nest and seals it with a plug of mud soaked in turtle urine. She then levels the surface with the plastron (the lower part of the shell). After 6-7 months, and when unfavorable conditions eight months later, completely black turtles weighing 70-100 grams emerge from the eggs, piercing the shell with a pointed growth at the end of the muzzle (the so-called egg tooth). During one season, a female can make 4-5 clutches.

Turtles reach sexual maturity at 20-25 years. Their lifespan is more than 100 years. At the age of fifty, the carapace of young males can reach one meter in length, and the weight of the animals themselves can be up to 70 kg.

Having mastered various islands and having no serious natural enemies, until the beginning of the 16th century turtles were very numerous and felt very at ease. However, with the massive appearance of people on the archipelago (fishermen, whalers and pirates), who used turtles as “live canned food” during their wanderings in the Pacific Ocean (and on the spot they prepared turtle liver and rendered fat - until 1959), the number of reptiles increased decline rapidly. In addition, turtles were constantly exported for zoos and private collections, and eggs and juveniles were destroyed by dogs, cats, pigs brought to the islands, and rats that came here from ships.

Goats still trample nesting areas and are serious food competitors for turtles. Certain populations may have been wiped out by ongoing volcanic activity. Thus, some subspecies have completely disappeared from at least four islands. To date, after emergency conservation measures have been taken, the number of all subspecies of the elephant tortoise is about 13,000 adult individuals, of which about 8,000 are among the five subspecies from Isabella Island.

Back in 1935, the Ecuadorian government declared five large islands a national park. But only in 1959, after the creation of the International Galapagos Fund for the Protection of the Flora and Fauna of the Islands. Charles Darwin, active environmental work began. UNESCO and IUCN sent a number of international scientific expeditions here, and all subspecies of turtles were listed in the International Red Book as endangered. In 1965, the Research Station named after. Charles Darwin organized the Center for the Restoration of Galapagos Reptile Populations on the island of Santa Cruz, in which famous scientists conduct research. In particular, methods for artificial insemination of female elephant turtles are being developed here. Deposited masonry is subject to special protection. Now there is a successful breeding colony of the subspecies G. p. hoodensis from the island of Hispaniola, which at the time of the organization of the Center was represented by only 14 individuals. The population was so small and scattered on the island that representatives of this subspecies could not reproduce in natural conditions. All of them were transported to the Center, where the first newborn turtle appeared in 1971, and at the end of January 2000, Center staff sent 1000 individuals of this subspecies to their native island. In addition to the breeding colony of G. a. hoodensis eggs are successfully incubated in the Center and young turtles of a number of other subspecies are kept: G. n. elephantopus, G. n. darwini, G. n. ephippium. Their offspring are returned to the islands where they came from, and only after reaching a certain size.

Since 1970, the export of elephant turtles from Ecuador has been completely prohibited. However, despite all efforts, the situation of the Galapagos tortoise continues to remain precarious. In 1995, local fishermen, “upset” by the new law restricting fishing sea ​​cucumbers, began killing turtles on Isabella Island and in the vicinity of the Darwin station on Santa Cruz. They threatened that if their demands were not met, they could kill Lonesome George, the famous male patriarch who is today a kind of living symbol of conservation in the Galapagos. Alisdo Volcano Turtle Population (Isabella Island), for a long time considered as the most prosperous, was devastated by wild goats. Alcedo is currently closed to visitors while staff at the Center and Research Station are conducting a goat control campaign.

TODAY the presence of most Galapagos tortoises in zoos and aquariums North America and a number of other countries is associated with the efforts of one man, Charles Hasksh Townsend, director of the Aquarium Division of the New York Zoological Society, and now the Wildlife Conservation Society - in the first half of the 20th century.

It was Townsend who organized and led the expedition that collected almost 200 Galapagos tortoises. Townsend's main goal was to protect the species from possible extinction by breeding reptiles outside the Galapagos Islands: in zoos and botanical gardens of the appropriate climate zone, predominantly in the southern and western states of the United States. Taking into account the catastrophic decline in the number of Galapagos tortoises in its natural habitat, the Society's management authorized Townsend to lead an expedition to collect and deliver the animals.
In March 1928, the ship Albatross II left America with expedition members on board). First, the Albatross made a stop at Pinzon, one of the small Galapagos islands. There, a search party of eight spent two days searching for turtles, combing steep, brushy slopes. However, there were no traces of living reptiles on the island. The Albatross left Pinzon empty-handed and headed towards Isabella. The ship anchored off the southern tip of the island, near Villamil, a small, dusty village of Ecuadorian colonists.

The expedition members soon discovered that turtles had been “eaten out” in coastal areas near Villamil. However, in exchange for some food and money, the exhausted colonists willingly agreed to help search for young turtles.

The search for reptiles in the mountainous areas of Isabella has been successful. Over the course of one week, more than 160 juvenile Galapagos tortoises belonging to the subspecies G. nigra vicina and G. nigra guentheri (the latter now considered G. nigra vicina) were harvested. The individuals collected by search teams varied significantly in size, with the smallest weighing only 106 grams and the largest weighing 40 kilograms. Later, several more turtles were purchased from local residents and, possibly, caught on several more islands of the archipelago. In total, 180 healthy Galapagos tortoises were brought to the United States.

On the return of the Albatross to New York, Townsend, speaking to members of the Society, confirmed that none of the turtles should be sold; the main task is to place turtles in the best zoos and botanical gardens for the purpose of breeding; however, all of them must remain the property of the Company. A list of eligible organizations was compiled, and animals were sent to the zoos of San Diego (California), San Antonio, Houston (Texas), Pew Orleans (Louisiana), the Superiore Southwestern Botanical Garden (Arizona), the Bermuda Aquarium and botanical station in Balboa (Panama Canal area). The turtles sent to Panama were subsequently transported to Kapiolanskni Bird Park (now Honolulu Zoo) in Hawaii and to Taronga Zoo in Sydney.

The first offspring were obtained in the 50s, and by the late 60s, young turtles began to hatch regularly at the Honolulu Zoo, San Diego Zoo and the Bermuda Aquarium. The primacy of the former two institutions in Galapagosian breeding success is due in part to an informal rivalry between Jack Trope, director of the Honolulu Zoo, and Chuck Shaw, curator of reptiles and assistant director of the San Diego Zoo. Each of them used their own methodology. Both placed the animals in open, grassy enclosures, but Trop built a large pool in the enclosure, while Shaw, on the contrary, covered most of the enclosure with sand. In both zoos, laid eggs were dug up and incubated in artificial conditions. Jack Troy was the first to discover the most optimal incubation temperature - 26'C, at which the birth rate is highest.

In the 1980s, the offspring of turtles brought by Townsend were transferred to a number of new institutions. Today, elephant turtles are safely kept in zoos in cities such as Zurich and Sydney, Chicago and Moscow, Honolulu and Berlin.

The Moscow Zoo received two pairs from the Brookfield Zoo (Chicago), hatched in 1992 in the incubator of this zoo. Their parents were of different origins: one of them was once taken from a distant archipelago, the other saw the light of day in a zoo. Now they are ten years old and their weight ranges from 70 to 100 kg. During the summer they are kept in a large, grassy enclosure with a shallow pool. There is a shelter with artificial lighting and heating. In winter, the turtles are not shown to the public and live in a utility room in a large wooden enclosure, covered with wood shavings and heated from above by powerful 200 W lamps and illuminated by halogen lamps that maintain the air temperature within 25’C.

The feed mixture contains primarily fruit and vegetable mass, to which branches (in summer), brooms (in winter), fresh grass(in summer). In addition, protein (animal) feed is used, which includes meat, eggs and fish (about 1 kg) and vitamin and mineral supplements. In summer, giants receive up to 16 kg per individual at a time, and in winter - up to 12 kg.

Text by Elena GODLEVSKAYA (Kyiv) and Solomon PERESHKOLNIK (Moscow)

I dedicate this post to the memory of Lonesome George, the last representative of a rare subspecies of armored reptiles - the Abingdon elephant tortoise. Lonesome George died yesterday in Galapagos National Park, where he had lived since 1972.
Sad news. An ENTIRE subspecies of the giant elephant tortoise has disappeared from the face of the Earth forever. In nature there are practically no predators for which these reptiles could become prey. Only humans actively destroyed elephant turtles. It is bitter to realize that the true culprit of this tragedy was once again Homo sapience - Homo sapiens!!! You already begin to doubt the latter, analyzing the activities of the human race from its inception to this day. Now we have no choice but to mourn our own sacrifice.

Lonesome George, the last male giant elephant tortoise at the age of one hundred, died in the Galapagos Islands.

The most famous tortoise died in the Galapagos (photo: noblebrute.com)

Lonesome George, the last and only member of the Abingdon elephant tortoise subspecies, died on Sunday, June 24, according to Galapagos National Park officials.

This morning, a park ranger came to check on George, but found that his body was motionless and he was unresponsive to his surroundings. His life has come to an end, said the head of the Galapagos National Park, Edwin Naula.

George was found on Pinta Island in 1972 and since then he has gained the reputation of being the “symbol” of the Galapagos Islands, located in Ecuador.

Thousands of tourists came to Ecuador to see George (photo: noblepride.com)

Every year, thousands of tourists came to the island specifically to admire “the most famous bachelor in the world.”

A book was also written about George - Lonesome George: The Life and Loves of the World's Most Famous Turtle. The author of a popular science book dedicated to a huge turtle was Henry Nichols.

Yana Shebalina, Life News Online
01:23, Monday June 25, 2012
http://lifenews.ru/news/95353

And now we are about to get acquainted with the “biography” of an elephant turtle. So...

The elephant tortoise is a real giant among all representatives of the order. This animal is considered today rare species due to the fact that at one time it was the only food available to seafarers.
Sailors of the XXVI-XXVII centuries said that countless numbers of elephant turtles were found on the islands of Mauritius, Madagascar, Reunion, as well as throughout the Galapagos archipelago. They gathered in huge herds of 2000 - 3000 animals. Ships that sailed to India always stopped near these islands to stock up on elephant turtles. At the same time, several hundred animals were loaded on board at once. For 20 to 30 years, many captains collected elephant turtles for sale. As a result, at the beginning of the 19th century, elephant tortoises remained only in Madagascar and the Galapagos Islands. By the way, the Galapagos Islands were once called the Turtle Islands, and now the elephant tortoise is sometimes called the Galapagos tortoise.

Among the elephant tortoises there are giants that reach a weight of 400 kg and a shell length of more than a meter. In nature there are practically no predators for which these reptiles could become prey. Perhaps only people actively destroyed elephant turtles. And for the same reason, today they are forced to protect the significantly reduced numbers of these reptiles.

The absence of danger to some extent determined the appearance of the elephant tortoise. Its shell resembles a saddle and is wide open at the front. Due to this openness, the elephant tortoise is able to regulate its body temperature in the hot climate of the Galapagos Islands, where it lives. Male elephant tortoises are noticeably larger than females and, due to this size, have always been interesting objects for zoos. But today all subspecies of this animal, of which there are about 16, are included in the IUCN Red List. Interestingly, the elephant turtle sometimes chooses plants that are poisonous to other animals as food. Undoubtedly, this animal can rightfully be called the main attraction of the Galapagos Islands. Charles Darwin noted how interesting it is to observe the behavior of elephant turtles. In particular, he described such unusual feature animal like deafness. The scientist did not explain whether elephant tortoises really have hearing problems, but said that the animal does not hear the steps of a person who meets a tortoise and is following it and is not frightened until the pursuer comes into its field of vision.

Other names

Chelonoidis elephant opus is the name of the elephant turtle species, derived from the Latin. Chelonoidis (genus of land turtles).
Testudo elephant opus – the name is derived from the Latin. Testudines (order turtles) and Testudinidae (family turtles).
Geochelone elephant opus, Chelonoidis nigra, Geochelone nigra, Testudo nigra – lat. species names in combination with lat. nigra (black), a character referring to the predominantly dark color of the elephant tortoise's shell.
Galápagos giant tortoise, Galápagos tortoise – English. Galapagos tortoise.
The Galapagos tortoise is another well-known habitat name.

Classification

Kingdom: Animals
Type: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrates
Class: Reptiles
Squad: Turtles
Suborder: Hidden-necked turtles
Family: Land turtles
Genus: American Land
turtles
Species: Elephant turtle
Subspecies: abingdonii (Abingdonian), becki (Rothschild's tortoise), chathamensis (Chatham's tortoise), darvini (Darwin's tortoise), ephippium (Pinzon's tortoise), duncanensis (Duncan's), galopagoensis (Charles Island tortoise), guentheri (Gunther's tortoise), hoodensis ( Hispaniola), microphyes (Isabel), nigrita (Black), phantastica (Fernandina Island tortoise), porteri (Santacruz tortoise), vandenburghi (Vandenburg's tortoise), vicina (Cave), wallacei (Jervis).

Habitat

A rare, in fact, endangered species of elephant turtles today survives only on the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Ecuador ( South America) and also on the territory of Aldabra Island, which is a national park located in the Indian Ocean. The areas inhabited by elephant tortoises are characterized by a hot, dry climate and sparse vegetation. This is mainly sparse grass cover and sparse shrubs and trees. You can also meet elephant turtles in tropical deciduous forests, on shrub plains and savannas, as well as in the lowlands of the Galapagos Islands, covered with solidified lava. In search of fresh water and accessible vegetation, these reptiles are able to climb winding paths leading to volcanic highlands. Female elephant turtles prefer the sandy lowlands of the coast, since it is most convenient for them to lay eggs, but males climb high on the mountain slopes, since the vegetation there is lush and the air is humid. By the way, elephant turtles living in the lowlands tend to make long journeys in search of sources of fresh water and even trample noticeable paths to them, along which people later found this water.
As already mentioned, 16 subspecies of elephant turtles are known, and their habitat is usually limited to one of the islands. And a hint about which one is often contained in the name of the subspecies. For example, the Abingdon tortoise is found on the island. Abingdon (Pinta), mainly in rocky, rugged terrain where volcanic rocks come to the surface. The Rothschild's tortoise has chosen the uneven, bush-covered northern and western slopes of the Wolf Island volcano. Isabela. The Chatham elephant tortoise is easy to find in the northeastern grasslands of the island. Santa Cristobal. Darwin's turtle is found on the rocks of. San Salvador at an altitude of 200 to 700 m above sea level. Pinzon's turtle lives in narrow grassy areas on the southwestern slope of the volcano. Gunther's elephant tortoises inhabit mountain system Sierra Negro in the southeast of Isabela Island, but also found on dry plains with rare cacti and trees. The habitat of the Hispaniola tortoise is, respectively, the rocks of the island of Hispaniola. Isabelskaya is found within the dry slopes of the Darwin volcano on the island. Isabela. The population of the Black Elephant Turtle settled in the clearings of the island. Santa Cruz and, by the way, is considered the most numerous among all subspecies. The turtles of Fernandina Island live, accordingly, on its volcanic slopes. The Vandenburg elephant tortoise has spread not only along the slopes of the Aldero volcano on the island. Albemarle, but also occupied its crater. And finally, the elephant cave turtle chose the Sierra Azul volcano in the south of the island as its habitat. Isabela.

Description

Elephant turtles are quite slow animals. During the day they travel no more than 6 km. Female elephant tortoises lay 10 to 14 eggs in small holes and do not take any further care of them.

During the day, elephant tortoises are very careful, but at night they pay absolutely no attention to anything, which is why they appear blind and deaf.

We have already mentioned that the elephant tortoise is a giant of amazing size. Its shell can reach 120 cm in length and 60 cm in height. Average weight equals 100 kg. And the approximate life expectancy is 150 years. However, the name of the elephant turtle is due not only to its size, but also appearance. To support the heavy and massive body, the reptile is equipped with powerful column-shaped legs, indeed, reminiscent of an elephant’s. And her skin on the limbs and neck protruding from under the shell is very reminiscent of the thick rubbery epidermis of an elephant. The upper shield of the elephant tortoise's shell has a special saddle-shaped shape - at the back it drops low and bends slightly upward, and at the front, on the contrary, it is raised high, so that the front legs and the long thin neck of the reptile remain practically unprotected. Males have more a long tail with a clear pattern.
The different subspecies of elephant tortoises differ mainly in the size and shape of their shell. On this basis, scientists classified them into two groups. The smallest individuals of elephant tortoises live on small, arid islands and have longer, thin legs. Their shell clearly follows the shape of the saddle, and their weight is about 25-50 kg. In areas with a more humid climate, elephant turtles are larger. They have a tall, dome-like shell. Zoologists suggest that thanks to this shape of the carpax, elephant turtles easily penetrate into any plant jungle. On the dorsal shield of these reptiles, a pattern in the form of polygons located inside each other stands out noticeably, by the number of sides of which the age of the animal can be calculated. The elephant turtle is most active during the day, and at night it hides the back part of its body in a hole specially dug for this purpose. The reptile finds salvation from the heat and insects during the day by burying itself in silt or liquid mud.

Elephant turtles feed on plants and drink a lot of water. If there is no water near their pasture, elephant turtles do not go to water every day, but store water in their bladder and consume it as needed.

Since the living conditions of elephant turtles are not the most favorable, they are quite unpretentious in their diet. Most The diet consists of plant foods - leaves of shrubs and grass on volcanic slopes, succulent cacti that replace water for turtles, woody lichens and leaves, low-hanging berries and fruits, aquatic vegetation, algae. The main delicacy for elephant turtles is tomatoes. Living in arid areas, the reptile can go for a long time without water and food. However, if the elephant turtle finds a source of fresh water, it will drink it little by little for a long time, burying itself in the mud in the shallows. Among the plants that elephant tortoises enjoy eating are stinging nettles and various thorny bushes that do not cause them any harm. Animal food for the reptile most often becomes a variety of carrion found.

Many sailors said that elephant turtles sometimes starved on board for up to 18 months, and upon arrival at the port they turned out to be completely healthy and viable. There are cases where elephant turtles lived in captivity for 100 -150 years

In the terrarium, it is recommended to feed the elephant turtle with plant foods. In general, this giant is rarely kept at home; it is more often found in various national parks or zoos. There, a completely balanced diet is created for the elephant turtle, mainly plant-based with a small addition of animal protein.

In order for the mating of elephant turtles to be successful, nature has provided special tricks in the structure of the males. In particular, they have a small recess on the lower part of the shell, which allows them to climb onto the female’s shell and stay on it. If fertilization has occurred, then the female elephant turtle is preparing to lay eggs. Every year she is able to lay eggs in the same pre-selected warm and safe place. Sometimes the female first digs several nests in different places in order to then choose the most suitable one from them. In search of a suitable laying site, females often make real trips around the islands. The number of eggs in an elephant tortoise's clutch is approximately 2-20 each year between November and April. Moreover, she puts them in the prepared nest very carefully, insuring them with a special enveloping liquid, and then just as carefully sprinkles them with earth. In the nest, turtle eggs will “mature” for a little more than six months - from June to December. And the hatched elephant turtles will dig up the ground and climb to the surface on their own.

It is not possible to keep a giant elephant tortoise at home due to its enormous size. Most often, these reptiles live in various zoos and southern nature reserves, where spacious enclosures with vegetation and pools are built for them. Elephant tortoises are bred in captivity specifically to increase the numbers of the endangered species. In the wild, under the supervision of people, it is not difficult to create suitable conditions for these reptiles, because the most they need is sun, warmth and the availability of plant food. The most suitable air temperature for breeding elephant turtles should be +28-+33 degrees Celsius.

And in conclusion, a very short video about an elephant turtle

The largest land turtle in the world is elephant turtle. She is also called galapagos tortoise, as it is endemic to the Galapagos Islands. This is a volcanic archipelago located in the eastern equatorial part Pacific Ocean 970 km from the coast of Ecuador. Consists of 13 large islands. But huge turtles live only on 7. In Europe they learned about them in the 16th century, when the islands were discovered by the Spanish conquistadors.

Description

Modern Galapagos tortoises weigh up to 417 kg with a shell length of 1.87 meters. The usual weight for males ranges from 272 to 317 kg, and for females from 136 to 181 kg. At the same time, sizes vary across the islands. So on the island of Pinzon the maximum weight is 76 kg with a shell length of 61 cm. And on the island of Santa Cruz the length of the shell reaches 75-150 cm. The dimensions largely depend on the level of humidity environment. On islands with dry climates the sizes are smaller than on islands with humid climates.

The bodies of these reptiles are covered with a powerful bony armor (carapace). This bone shell is dull brown or grey colour. The shell consists of plates connected to ribs and fused into a single protective structure. That is, the plates are part of the skeleton. Since animals are slow, lichens often grow on their shells.

New growth rings (shell segment) are formed on the plates every year. But it is impossible to determine the life expectancy of elephant turtles from them, since the outer layers wear off over the years. The paws of these reptiles are powerful, gnarled, with dry and hard scaly skin. The front limbs have 5 claws, and the hind limbs have 4. These turtles are able to retract their neck, head and forelimbs into the shell, which serves as reliable protection in times of danger.

Reproduction and lifespan

The breeding process occurs throughout the year, but it has seasonal peaks that occur in February - June and coincide with the rainy season. IN mating season males engage in ritual fights. They collide with each other, stand on their hind legs, stretch their necks, and open their mouths. In this case, the smaller male retreats and cedes the right of mating to the larger one.

Nesting sites are located on dry sandy coasts. Females prepare nests for eggs by digging out sand with their hind paws. Over the course of several days, they dig round holes with a diameter of 30 cm. Eggs are laid in such nests. There are usually 16 eggs in a clutch. They have a spherical shape, and the size of the egg corresponds to billiard ball. The female throws sand moistened with her own urine on top of the eggs. After this, the clutch is left to incubate. During the season, the female can lay from 1 to 4 clutches.

Temperature has great importance during incubation. If it is low, then more males hatch, and if it is high, then mostly females are born. Young turtles emerge from their nests after 4-8 months. They weigh 50 g with a body length of 6 cm. The hatched cubs must crawl to the surface. They succeed if the ground is wet. But if it is dry and hardened, then young elephant turtles die.

Surviving young develop within 10-15 years. It becomes sexually mature at 20-25 years of age. In the wild, the elephant turtle lives for more than 100 years. But in captivity, life expectancy can reach 150 years. The most famous long-lived turtle was Harriet. She died in 2006 at the Australia Zoo. At the time of death, her age was 170 years.

These reptiles are herbivores. They eat cacti, grass, leaves, lichens, berries, and fruits. Young Galapagos tortoises eat 17% of their body weight per day. They mainly obtain moisture from dew and vegetation. They can survive without water for 6 months. They can live without food for up to a year, consuming their fat reserves.

Conservation status

This species is classified as vulnerable by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). In the 16th century, when the Spaniards appeared on the Galapagos Islands, the number of huge reptiles reached 250 thousand. In the middle of the 20th century, only 3 thousand remained. The reasons for the decline in the unique population were the shooting of animals for meat and oil, the destruction of natural habitats for agricultural needs, and the import of islands of pigs, goats, rats.

In the second half of the 20th century, people came to their senses, and today the elephant turtle has noticeably increased in number. Now 19 thousand huge reptiles live on distant islands, and their numbers remain at a stable level.

· Tags: ,

Elephant turtle- the largest among land animals (of course much larger). This huge animal weighs about 300 kg, has a shell up to 1.5 meters in diameter and 1 meter in height. Looks different from other turtles long neck, high paws and black shell.

Sailors of the XXVI-XXVII centuries said that countless numbers of elephant turtles were found on the islands of Mauritius, Madagascar, Reunion, as well as throughout the Galapagos archipelago. They gathered in huge herds of 2000 - 3000 animals. Ships that sailed to India always stopped near these islands to stock up on elephant turtles. At the same time, several hundred animals were loaded on board at once. For 20 to 30 years, many captains collected elephant turtles for sale. As a result, at the beginning of the 19th century, elephant tortoises remained only in Madagascar and the Galapagos Islands. By the way, the Galapagos Islands were once called the Turtle Islands, but now The elephant tortoise is sometimes called the Galapagos tortoise.

Eating elephant turtles plants and drink a lot of water. If there is no water near their pasture, elephant turtles do not go to water every day, but store water in their bladder and consume it as needed.