Galapagos - Tortoises

In Puerto Ayora is a research centre, where over 200 scientists and volunteers are involved with research and conservation efforts, including a captive breeding program for giant tortoises. Paths leading through arid-zone vegetation take you past tortoise enclosures. There are incubators for the eggs, and enclosures with both the mature breeding animals and the babies. When the tortoises grow to around 25cm in length, which takes about about four years, they’re repatriated to their home islands. In addition to seeing tortoises at the research centre, we saw several at various locations around the islands.