Galapagos Tortoise By Corbin

 550 pounds.  It can live to 100 year old or old.  5 feet long.

 They live only in parts of the Galapagos Islands, a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean about 600 mile off the coast of Ecuador.

 They feed on vegetation that grow at ground level.

 Pirates, whale hunter, and merchant sailors made stops in the Galapagos Islands to restock their supplies of food and water. They quickly added Galapagos tortoises to their diet because they can survive for a year without eating or drinking. This meant the sailors could keep the reptiles onboard on long journeys without having to care for them.  More then 100,000 tortoises have been killed during that time. The ones that survived today are now protected by laws.  The biggest threat to the tortoises are animals that are not native to the Galapagos Islands.

 Look for endangered animals when you visit the zoo.  Don’t buy wild animals as pets.  Join a group that supports endangered animals.