You Can Look, but You Better Not Touch -- It seems like common sense, but in no case should you touch or in any way disturb the wild flora and fauna of the Galápagos. This includes plants, birds, reptiles, and mammals -- every living thing, both on land and under the water. Be very aware of not encroaching upon any wild creature or habitat. Do not litter, and definitely do not attempt to feed any of the animals.
The Galápagos Tortoise -- The giant Galápagos tortoise (Geochelone elephantopus) is the most distinctive animal on the entire archipelago. In fact, the name Galápagos comes from the Spanish word "galápago," which is what the early Spanish explorers and conquistadores called these tortoises, because their shells resembled riding saddles. Fifteen subspecies of giant tortoise have been recorded. Of these, four are confirmed extinct, and another, the Isla Pinta subspecies, was thought to be on the verge of extinction, though recent genetic evidence indicates that there may be Pinta tortoises on Isla Isabela.
Given the geological isolation and workings of evolution, almost every major island on the archipelago has one or more distinct subspecies. The various subspecies can be divided into two general classes, based on the shapes of their shells. Generally speaking, shells are dome-shaped or saddle-backed. The domed tortoises tend to live in higher, moister environments, and their plentiful food is found close to the ground. Their shells have very little curvature above their necks. Conversely, the saddle-backed tortoises live in more desertlike, arid environments, and often have to reach high for their favorite foods. Hence, their shells are characterized by the large open arch above their neck areas, allowing them to make these reaches. Domed-shell tortoises tend to be larger than their saddle-backed brethren, too -- though most are large by nearly any standard.
For millions of years, the Galápagos tortoise had virtually no natural predators. Eggs and hatchlings were vulnerable to certain hawks and owls, but beyond that they lived a totally unthreatened life until the arrival of man. Early explorers, settlers, and pirates found the tortoise to be an invaluable and easy source of food, and thousands upon thousands of tortoises were slaughtered. These same early settlers introduced non-native species, like goats, pigs, dogs, and rats, that devastated the island's tortoise habitat, and, in some cases, the reptiles themselves. Today, several subspecies remain threatened or in danger of extinction, while many others have stable and growing populations, thanks to the efforts of conservationists, scientists, and the Charles Darwin Foundation.
