Galapagos Giant Tortoise

Galapagos Giant Tortoise
Geochelone nigra porteri
The Galapagos giant tortoise is among the world's most critically endangered tortoises. Huge numbers of these tortoises were killed by the crews of whaling ships during the early 19th century. Today, these giant tortoises are threatened by many of the animals that humans have introduced to the Galapagos Islands, including pigs that eat tortoise eggs, rats that eat hatchlings, and goats that eat vegetation that tortoises rely on for food. The Galapagos giant tortoises are now legally protected under the laws of Ecuador.