LAND TORTOISES 
GIANT TORTOISE 
On a few scattered island groups in the Pacific and Indian Oceans dwell 
the last of the giant tortoises. These are the creatures so familiar to every¬ 
one as the mild turtles which children may straddle for a ride. And, in 
legend, they are known as the “rocks” which suddenly arise and begin 
to walk after men have sat upon them. 
They are mighty indeed when compared to the other land tortoises. 
Their shells may measure more than four feet and, adding their large 
heads and long necks, their total length is considerably greater. They 
weigh as much as five hundred pounds. Yet despite these immense pro¬ 
portions, they are as meek as the tiny box turtles. 
The ultimate fate which awaits the entire group is mutely pictured 
in one of their native haunts, the Galapagos Islands, about six hundred miles 
west of Ecuador on the equator. On these volcanic islands there are thou¬ 
sands upon thousands of tortoises’ shells left to the harsh mercy of a 
glaring sun — the animals which once wore this armor have been killed by 
men, wild dogs and rats. Thus, a once mighty race is now on the road to 
complete disappearance although, if left alone, it might well be a numer¬ 
ous tribe since giant tortoises can possibly live for hundreds of years and 
reproduce from their tenth year onward. 
These massive creatures are best known from the specimens obtained 
on the Galapagos Islands. The islands have craters which still spout forth 
their fiery substance at irregular intervals and make life even more hazard¬ 
ous for the animal inhabitants. 
The surface of the Galapagos is coated with old and new lava flows, 
but through this fire-tempered slag heap, the turtles have worn smooth, 
slippery paths by their wanderings from the coast to the interior highlands. 
In crevices of the lava, and where the earth has been untouched by erup¬ 
tions, heavy grass, cactus and foliage grow, providing food for the tortoises. 
Like their kin throughout the world, the giants lead a lazy life. They 
move about only when necessary, to mate, eat and drink. When the 
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