Spanish explorers who discovered the islands in the 16th century named them after the Spanish galápago meaning tortoise. This made them a great food source for many of the ships that visited the islands in the 1800s.

In Death Lonesome George Reveals Why Giant Tortoises Live So Long Yalenews

Why do tortoises live so long.

How do galapagos tortoises live so long. So scientists have long scratched their heads over how they got. These are the big fellas they think could have lived 400 or more years. Well the opposite is true as well.

Captive Galapagos tortoises can live up to 177 years. The Galapagos giant tortoise Chelonoidis spp captivates biologists and conservationists alike and so it should come as no surprise that scientists enjoy observing and learning more about the animalsBut despite all those years worth of observations it can sometimes seem like we barely know anything about the species. The rest of their time is spent eating grasses fruits and cactus pads.

For example a captive individual Harriet lived for at least 175 years. The Galápagos tortoises are iconic animals often living for over 100 years and weighing as much as 400kg. The Galápagos tortoises can live up to a year without food or water.

The Giant Tortoises are thought to belong to just one species Geochelone elephantopus with 14 different races or sub-species four of which are believed to be extinct. These slow-moving gentle giants are extremely docile and peace-loving creatures that generally live stress-free lives. The longest-lived of all the turtle species the Galapagos giant tortoise eats a strict vegetarian diet thats full of greens and free of fat and cholesterol.

Since this behemoth tortoise has lived in isolation for so long and their lives are measured in centuries its very difficult to get an accurate age on them. Even the size of an animal contributes to the age apparently. The Galapagos giant tortoise spends an average of 16 hours per day resting.

But if u want to know exactly How long do Galapagos tortoises live. Genetic analysis of DNA from Lonesome George and samples from other giant tortoises of the Galapagos -- which can live more than 100 years in captivity --. They tend to live on arid islands in Galapagos where food is less abundant.

They enjoy bathing in water but can survive for up to a year without water or food. The sailors would collect the tortoises and keep them alive on board to serve as a source of fresh meat while at sea. They sink down into the mud at the bottom of a lake or pond going dormant for the season kind of like hibernation and use even less energy.

The Galapagos Giant Tortoise can live for more than 100 years the oldest recorded tortoise being 152 years old. These tortoises are known to be the most long-lived tortoises. One specific species theyre fascinated with is the Galapagos tortoise.

A second idea about why turtles live so long is also related to that low metabolism. In San Diego Zoo the longest time period that has recorded until yet is 150 years old. According to this theory tortoises live longer because their slow metabolisms burn less energy which means less harm to the cells in their bodies.

So while the nation was moved this week by the death of George the Blue Peter tortoise. The Galápagos tortoises are native to seven of the Galápagos Islands. Galapagos tortoise lifespan.

These tortoises can live not only for more than 100 years but up to 170 years. Theyre only found on the Galápagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean nearly 1000km away from the nearest landmass Ecuador. Loggerhead sea turtles coming out of their nest.

See Images of Lonesome George a Giant Galapagos Tortoise Saddleback tortoises live in dry environments where theres little to eat for 9 months of the year Gibbs told Live Science.