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The Galápagos tortoise complex or Galápagos giant tortoise complex

The Galápagos tortoise complex or Galápagos giant tortoise complex

The Galápagos tortoise complex or Galápagos giant tortoise complex

The elephant turtle, or the Galapagos tortoise, is one of the largest modern land turtles. They live on the islands of the Galapagos archipelago. 12 subspecies are known, both small enough, living on islands small in size, and giant animals inhabiting large islands. Males are usually larger than females. The head of the Galapagos turtles is relatively small, and the necks are long. The mass of turtles that live on large islands can reach 200 kilograms and the length of the shell is 1.2 meters . Smaller subspecies reach mass 27 kilograms (females) and 50 kilograms (males) and have a specific saddle-shaped carapace.

Galapagos turtles have a daily life and feed on plants, including poisonous to other animals. Turtles do not refuse and fell. Tortoises spend time not eating food in liquid mud, escaping heat and blood-sucking insects. At night, turtles dig out shallow holes in which they hide the back of their bodies.

The breeding season lasts almost all year round, during this period, females lay up to 22 eggs (this is very much for land turtles, the fecundity of most of them is less than a dozen eggs, often one or two eggs). Under favorable conditions, the female can lay down two masonry. The pits in which the turtles lay their eggs have a depth and diameter of about 30 centimeters .

Galapagos tortoises are more common in zoos. Due to its size (the length of the carapace is up to 122 centimeters ) They are hardly suitable for private collections.

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