Galapagos Giant Tortoise
Geochelone elephantopus
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Range – Galapagos giant tortoise
Endemic to the islands of the Galapagos in the eastern Pacific Ocean, of the original 14 species, three are now extinct (10) and two are extinct in the wild (G. abingdoni and G. ephippium) (1).
The Galapagos giant tortoise is now strictly protected. Young tortoises are being raised in a programme by the Charles Darwin Research Station in order to help keep the remaining races from becoming extinct.
Similar in size to the famous Galapagos Giant Tortoise, its carapace averages 120 cm (47 in) in length. The average weight of a male is around 250 kg (551 pounds), but one male at the Fort Worth Zoological Park weighs over 360 kg (793 pounds).
 See also: Shell, Turtle, Giant Tortoise, Reptile, Tortoise
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