Giant Tortoise

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Giant tortoises are characteristic reptiles of certain tropical islands. Often reaching enormous size—they can weigh as much as 300 kg (660 lbs) and can grow to be 1.3 m (4 ft) long—they live, or lived (some species are recently extinct), in the Seychelles, the Mascarenes and the Galapagos. Today, the world's largest population inhabits Aldabra Atoll in Seychelles, where there are approximately 150,000 individuals. Although appearing similar, the tortoises represent separate branches of evolution. The Seychelles and Mascarenes tortoises derive from nearby Madagascar, while the Galapagos tortoises came from nearby Ecuador.

Although often considered examples of island gigantism, prior to the arrival of Homo sapiens giant tortoises also occurred in non-island locales, as well as on a number of other, more accessible islands. During the Pleistocene, and mostly during the last 50,000 years, tortoises of the mainland of southern Asia (Colossochelys atlas), North and South America, Australia (Meiolania), Indonesia, Madagascar (Dipsochelys), and even the island of Malta became extinct. The giant tortoises formerly of Africa died out somewhat earlier, during the late Pliocene. While the timing of the disappearances of various extinct giant tortoise species seems to correlate with the arrival of humans, direct evidence for human involvement in these extinctions is usually lacking; however, such evidence has been obtained in the case of Meiolania damelipi in Vanatu.

These animals belong to an ancient group of reptiles, appearing about 250 million years ago. In the Upper Cretaceous, 70 or 80 million years ago some already became gigantic. About 1 million years ago tortoises reached the Galápagos Islands. Since 100,000 years ago most of the gigantic species began to disappear. Only 250 years ago there were at least 20 species and subspecies in islands of the Indian Ocean and 14 or 15 subspecies in the Galápagos Islands.

Websites

Giant tortoise - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Giant tortoises are characteristic reptiles of certain tropical islands. Often reaching enormous size—they can weigh as much as 300 kg (660 lbs) and can grow to be ...en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_tortoise

Galápagos tortoise - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Galápagos tortoise or Galápagos giant tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra) is the largest living species of tortoise and 10th-heaviest living reptile, reaching weights ...en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galápagos_giant_tortoise

giant tortoise | eBay - Electronics, Cars, Fashion, Collectibles ...
Find great deals on eBay for giant tortoise and used plumbers tape. Shop with confidence.www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=giant+tortoise

Giant Tortoise - Animal Facts - Switch Zoo - Animal Games
Interesting facts about the behavior and characteristics of the Giant Tortoise. Includes Habitat, Scientific Name, Lifespan, Diet, Predators and Threats.www.switchzoo.com/profiles/gianttortoise.htm

ARKive - Galapagos giant tortoise videos, photos and facts ...
The enormous Galapagos giant tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra) was once so numerous that Spanish explorers of the region named the Gala...www.arkive.org/galapagos-giant-tortoise/chelonoidis-nigra

Dr Adam Moolna - GIANT-TORTOISE.co.uk
Dr Adam Moolna PhD Life Sciences, MSc Conservation, BSc Natural Sciences. Management Consultant & Acting CEO at the Island Conservation Society, Seychelles.www.giant-tortoise.co.uk/index.html

Video
Galapagos Giant TortoiseFriday, 18 May 2012 09:30:03
Aldabra Giant TortoiseSunday, 13 May 2012 01:06:34
QI: Giant TortoiseTuesday, 15 May 2012 17:21:20
Mathilda the friendly giant tortoiseFriday, 18 May 2012 11:37:03
Giant Tortoises having funFriday, 18 May 2012 09:30:03
Giant TortoisesSaturday, 24 March 2012 11:38:41
Cuddling a Giant TurtoiseTuesday, 08 May 2012 12:03:33
Giant Galapagos Tortoises, Island of Santa Cruz, EcuadorWednesday, 02 May 2012 12:08:47
Blogs

Good-Tutorials - Photoshop: How to Create a Sci-Fi Giant Tortoise ...
Learn how to create this sci-fi giant tortoise shelter photo manipulation.This tutorial will show you how to create giant-sized objects and other photo manipulation techniques for combining images.unknownMonday, March 19, 2012 4:03 AMhttp://www.good-tutorials.com/

Giant Heart Houses Giant Tortoises « JESSICA SCALIN ...
As part of this effort they have planted thousands of trees, created nature paths & breed aver 100 Giant Tortoises! This hard work has made the island so gorgeous & unique that he has been offered millions of dollars. With the ...jpowell5762Monday, May 14, 2012 7:30 AMhttp://jessicascalin.wordpress.com/

Giant Tortoise | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Höllgrotten ( Hell Grottoes ) in Baar (CH). The largest stalagmite formation in the Höllgrotten ( Hell Grottoes ) is known as the Giant Tortoise.nobody@flickr.com (alje)Sunday, April 22, 2012 3:00 AMhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/alje/

How to Create a Sci-Fi Giant Tortoise Shelter ... - Tutorials Garden
... Photo-Manipulation. Learn how to create this sci-fi giant tortoise shelter photo manipulation.This tutorial will show you how to create giant-sized objects and other photo manipulation techniques for combining images. Added on: 2012-05-15 ...unknownTuesday, May 15, 2012 2:10 PMhttp://www.tutorialsgarden.com/

Giant Tortoise Breeding Center on Isabela Island | Red Hunt Travel
When it comes to Giant Tortoises, nobody does it better than the Galapagos Islands. Far from the busy Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island is the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center on Isabela Island.Red HuntMonday, April 30, 2012 9:00 AMhttp://redhunttravel.com/

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News

Cincinnati Zoo to unveil new tortoise exhibit - Cincinnati Business Courier
“The giant Galapagos tortoise is really an incredible species, and zoo guests are going to get to watch these young ones grow for many years to come,” zoo Executive Director Thane Maynard said in the release. “Charles Darwin himself used the ...Thursday, May 17, 2012 11:14 AMwww.bizjournals.com

A long, slow contemplation, then a decisive turn, behind Obama's move to ... - Washington Post
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's evolution on gay marriage unfolded at a Darwinian pace, like that of the giant tortoise. For more than a year — eons in politics — he danced up to the edge of endorsing it, always stopping short, still “evolving.Thursday, May 10, 2012 2:59 AMwww.washingtonpost.comRelated News:
A slo-mo evolution for Obama on gay marriage U.S. News & World Report
Thursday, May 10, 2012 3:03 AM

Lemurs and croc in new exhibit at SC Aquarium - Fox News
A common spider tortoise is seen in its enclosure at the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston, SCAP Dec. 14, 2011: A lemur looks through the forest at Andasibe-Mantadia National Park in Andasibe, Madagascar.AP A ring-tailed lemur looks out from its ...Tuesday, May 01, 2012 4:13 PMwww.foxnews.com

In tech race, Intel is both tortoise and hare - OregonLive.com
By Mike Rogoway, The Oregonian View full sizeThe Associated PressCEO Paul Otellini holds up the Lenovo Yoga Ultrabook, a flip-screen laptop/tablet that runs on Intel processors, today at the chip giant's Silicon Valley headquarters.Thursday, May 10, 2012 9:31 PMwww.oregonlive.com

Milwaukee mayor will try again to beat Walker - WRCB-TV
President Barack Obama's evolution on gay marriage unfolded at a Darwinian pace, like that of the giant tortoise. For more than a year - eons in politics - he danced up to the edge of endorsing it, always stopping short,.Wednesday, May 09, 2012 3:22 PMwww.wrcbtv.com

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