Up close with a Giant Galapagos Tortoise

Spend four minutes looking at and listening to this Galapagos Tortoise, the largest species of tortoise, the 10th-heaviest living reptile, and one of the longest-lived vertebrates on our planet. These animals can live over 100 years average in the wild, and over 150 years in protected captivity. 

jtotheizzoe:

Extreme Tortoise Close-Up! Arlo Midgett set up his camera near a tortoise and the old creeper moseyed on over to investigate. I promise you, if you set this to full screen and HD, you’ll never look at a tortoise the same way again…

…Why DO they live so long? The short answer is “because it’s an evolutionary advantage based on their environment and reproductive process.”

The long answer is much more interesting, and can be found here at Slate.

The Galapagos Tortoise is currently listed as endangered. Only about 15,000 individuals remain.