We are heading back to Isabela Island to see the breeding centre for Giant Tortoises. Early settlers, and ships travelling through, once used tortoises for food. We see two huge Giant Tortoises right inside the gate. It is exciting that we are this close to the largest species of tortoises in the world! They seem to be mostly sunning themselves, but when they move of is impressive to see that much shell lumbering around.
Look, the friend of our guide is here today. He is taking us to see the eggs and the newly hatched babies. The babies are no bigger than the palm of my hand. It seems impossible that something this small can grow so big. Galapagos tortoises live over a hundred years. It would be interesting if they could tell us their stories. In the mean time we will just have to use our imagination. You are always in my Prayers. Love Mom.
22 Comments
Mrs. PB's class
2/26/2018 07:31:57 am
One of our animals found! Thank you.
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Ray
2/26/2018 02:17:42 pm
They are huge. They can weigh up to 417 kg.
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Ray
2/26/2018 02:27:38 pm
They only lay 2-16 eggs at a time.
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Owen
2/26/2018 07:53:49 am
How many exotic animals have you seen that we don't have in Canada?
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Ray
2/26/2018 02:30:03 pm
Almost all the animals are endemic, meaning they are only found in Galapagos. In fact I can only think of animals we saw that I have also seen in Listowel, that was the great blue heron.
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Ally, Hunter ,Sam , Mr. S
2/26/2018 07:58:00 am
How big are the giant tortoises?
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Ray
2/26/2018 02:34:50 pm
The giant tortoises can weigh up to 417 kg and be two meters long. We saw hundreds of sea lions. The boat is 30 meters long with 20 passengers and 10 crew.
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Sarah, Drew and Devlin
2/26/2018 07:59:10 am
How big was the biggest tortoise that you seen?
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Ray
2/26/2018 02:35:30 pm
I would guess about two meters long and 375 kg
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Austin mr.s
2/26/2018 07:59:38 am
How olds the tortoise
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Ray
2/26/2018 02:37:50 pm
Our guide estimated it at about 80 years old but they can live up to 150 years.
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Salmonella Ella
2/26/2018 08:01:11 am
Did you get to touch the tortoise? Are they're a lot of tortoises? Do they have predators? What do they eat?
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Ray
2/26/2018 02:43:53 pm
Rule number one for all Galapagos animals was do not touch them and try to keep two meters away. Before people came to the islands their only predators were hawks who would eat the babies. People brought rats, cats pigs and dogs which kill baby tortoises. And goats and cattle which eat the vegetation and step on the nests. They are herbivores eating grasses, leaves and fruits.
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Haley, Luke, James
2/26/2018 08:01:52 am
What kinds of cool animals are there?
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Ray Homewood
2/26/2018 02:52:30 pm
Sea lion, Pacific Green Sea Turtles, Giant Tortoises, marine iguanas, land iguanas, frigate birds, blue footed boobies just to name a few.
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Brooklyn, Eden and. Carmen
2/26/2018 08:02:38 am
Do they have any predators?
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Ray Homewood
2/26/2018 02:54:53 pm
Before people came there were very few predators, and none for adult tortoises. People killed and ate many tortoises and brought other predators such as rat, cats and dogs.
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Carter, Xander Mr.S
2/26/2018 08:05:05 am
What was your favourite city?
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Ray Homewood
2/26/2018 02:59:50 pm
Galapagos has no real cities but the biggest we visited was Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, with a population of about 8000
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Mrs. B's Grade 3 class
2/26/2018 12:08:08 pm
How big are the baby's heads? Are they about the size of our thumb?
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Ray Homewood
2/26/2018 03:04:59 pm
The new born baby tortoise would be about the size of your palm, and the head like the end of you little finger. From this grow the huge tortoises. If you grew as much as a tortoise you would grow to weigh 8000 pounds.
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Ray Homewood
2/26/2018 03:05:47 pm
Top speed 0.25 km/hour
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