No animal is more synonymous with the Galapagos Islands than the giant tortoise. Indeed, the saddle-back shape of the shell in many of the tortoise races reminded the early Spaniards of a type of riding saddle called "galapago", and this term is also applied to the tortoises. Hence, by calling the islands the Galapagos, we are, in essence, calling them "The Islands of the Giant Tortoises"!, The giant tortoise is the symbol of both the Charles Darwin Research Station and the Galapagos National Park Service. In the form of one particular individual, Lonesome George, the sole surviving member of the Pinta Island race, the giant tortoise is the symbol of extreme fragility of the Galapagos islands, and a reminder of the need for vigilence and conservation.
East Pacific Green Turtle
Santa Cruz Galapagos Tortoise
Pinzon Galapagos Tortoise
Floreana Galapagos Tortoise
Alcedo Galapagos Tortoise
Santiago Galapagos Tortoise
Santa Fe Galapagos Tortoise