FUN FACTS
Giant tortoises can certainly live longer than 100 years, but reliable records of life spans aren’t available yet because because people haven’t been observing them long enough.
Throughout the 19th century, giant tortoises were valued by sailors as food supply. They discovered that these docile animals could live for months without food or water, flipped on their backs, and stacked in the cargo hold of a ship. This gave the sailors a ready source of fresh meat when there was no land in sight.
Female Galapagos tortoises bury their eggs in mud that hardens in the sun. Hatchlings need rainfall to soften the soil so that they can dig their way out.
Virtual Philadelphia Zoo 