Geochelone elephantopus

"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'!" Giant Tortoise

Find out more about the Giant Tortoises of the Galapagos on Land Creatures

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Photo thanks to ArtToday.com