Galapagos Tortoise (Geochelone elephantopus)
Found only in the Galapagos Islands, this massive tortoise was once prized by the crews of ships passing through this area. The sailors discovered they could capture these animals and store them for long periods in the ships' holds before they died, thus ensuring a supply of fresh meat during long sea voyages. Today some of the subspecies are extinct while others are threatened by feral goats and other human-induced incursions. Workers at the Charles Darwin Research Station at Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island are working hard to ensure the species' survival, breeding many tortoises in captivity.
Left: A tortoise feeds in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island.
Below: a tortoise lolls in a mud pond in the Santa Cruz highlands.
Left: Photographed at a the Charles Darwin Research Center, this is a face that could use some serious anti-aging cream.
Photographer Harry Stickler zeroes in on a tortoise in the Santa Cruz highlands. Although accustomed to humans, the tortoises retract their heads and hiss if a person gets too close.
