What kind of animal is a giant tortoise? We will explain its characteristics, ecology, and habitat. Giant tortoises are the largest species of land tortoise and are known to have a lifespan longer than humans. There are the Aldabra giant tortoise and the Galapagos giant tortoise, but they are very rare animals.
What is a Giant Tortoise? Basic Stats
Giant tortoises are animals belonging to the order Testudins, family Testudinidae. They are 1 to 1.5 meters long. They weigh 300 kg and have a maximum carapace length of 135 cm. Their English name is Giant Tortoise, and their scientific name is gigantea. The list of information is as follows.
| Japanese（和名） | ゾウガメ |
| English（英名） | Giant Tortoise |
| scientific name(学名) | gigantea |
| classification（分類） | Reptilia、Testudines、 Testudinidae 爬虫綱、カメ目、リクガメ科 |
| IUCN Status(保全状況) | VULNERABLE |
| Length（体長） | 1～1.5m |
| Weight（体重） | 300kg |
About classification
Giant tortoises are large land turtles. With the advent of the Age of Exploration, they were hunted and killed in large quantities as food for sailors, and only a few remain. There are the following species.
Aldabra giant tortoise
The Aldabra giant tortoise is a turtle classified in the genus Aldabra, family Testudinsidae, order Testudins. It inhabits Seychelles and Mauritius. The head, neck, limbs, and tail are dark gray, males tend to be larger than females, and the eggs are spherical, measuring 4.8 to 5.5 centimeters in diameter. It is a species listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
Galapagos giant tortoise
The Galapagos giant tortoise is a turtle classified in the genus Testudinsidae, family Testudinsidae, class Reptilia. Its entire body is gray-brown, dark brown, or black, and it can only be seen in the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador. This turtle is listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and is extremely rare.
Habitat
Giant tortoises are found in Ecuador and Mauritius in Africa.
What are their characteristics? What kind of creature are they?
Giant tortoises are a species that has barely survived, and most of them have become extinct since the Age of Exploration due to predation by humans. Their heads are slightly flattened, and the color of their heads, necks, limbs, and tails is dark gray. They are said to be a species with very few genetic mutations and few mutations. Giant tortoises live in grasslands along the coast, inland shrub forests, and mangrove marshes.
What is their personality like?
Giant tortoises are very dignified and not afraid of humans. There is a tragic history of humans hunting them in large quantities because they are slow to move and not afraid.
What is their ecology like?
Giant tortoises are herbivorous and often eat young branches and leaves. Giant tortoises are long-lived, and many live for over 100 years. They can live for 200 years, so it is impossible to raise them alone. They reproduce by laying eggs. They tend to lay large numbers of eggs, 1-4 times a year. The eggs hatch in 100-200 days.
Do they have any natural predators?
Humans are the biggest threat to giant tortoises.
Are giant tortoises endangered?
Giant tortoises are designated as endangered. Originally, there were many more giant tortoises, but humans overhunted them for food and most of the species became extinct. The giant tortoises currently in existence are listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and international trade is strictly restricted.
Can you keep giant tortoises as pets?
As giant tortoises are designated as endangered, it is quite difficult for ordinary people to keep them as pets. In addition to that, there are other problems, such as the following.
Lifespan issues
Giant tortoises have a very long lifespan. Humans are also living longer, but due to the maximum number of cell divisions, the limit is about 120 years. However, it is said that giant tortoises can live for nearly 200 years in the case of long-lived turtles, and it is extremely difficult to keep them on your own.
Very expensive
In the first place, the population of giant tortoises has drastically decreased due to overhunting by humans, making them difficult to obtain. If you were to purchase one at a pet shop, it would be extremely expensive, ranging from 500,000 yen to over 1 million yen, so we cannot say that they are a pet that we would recommend.
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