Galapagos Tortoises

We took a bus to the Highlands to view giant tortoises in the wild. And we didn't have to look far. On the way, we had to go around one that was plopped in the middle of the road. They also like to immerse themselves in water for long periods of time.

When they pull their head into their shell, you can hear a loud "pfsthsh" sound as the air is expelled from their lungs to make room for the appendages.

Early inhabitants liked to eat the tortoises, and their numbers were decimated. Today, their populations are slowly growing due to the efforts of the Research Center and National Park.

Like the 13 species of finches, the tortoises are unique to their islands. For example, some tortoises have low shells because they eat plants growing close to the ground. Other tortoises have high shells because they eat from tall plants.