Tortoises have been on Earth a very long time, dating back at least 200 million years, which means they shared the planet with dinosaurs.  Galapagos tortoises are the largest living tortoises, and they can live 150-200 years.  They live in warm dry regions and cool forest areas on the sides of the volcano.

Not only are the males generally larger than the females, but they also have relatively longer tails. Galapagos tortoises are typically an overall dull black color, and they have paler, pink skin around the head and throat compared to the Aldabra tortoises.

Longevity
In wild, the average lifespan of a Galapagos tortoise can be around 100 years. The oldest known tortoise was presented to the Tongan royal family by Captain Cook in 1777.  Tu'i Malila, as she was called, died of natural causes in 1965, making her a verifiable188 years old.  Another tortoise, Adwaita, who died at the Alipore Zoo in India in 2006, was said to be more than 250 years old.

Reproduction
Near the end of the wet season in the spring, the female Galapagos tortoise will move to arid lowlands with well-defined nesting sites. To soften the ground, the female urinates on a patch of soil in an open, sunny spot.  The tortoise then lays 2-20 white, hard-shelled, spherical eggs about the size of billiard balls in the hole. She lowers herself over the opening and, by sliding her underside about, raises mud to form a smooth cap almost flush with the surrounding ground. This cap hardens in the sun. The tortoise's eggs hatch after 4-8 months. Hatchlings need rainfall to soften the mud cap so that they can dig their way out of the sealed chamber.

The sex of Galapagos tortoise babies is determined by the incubation temperature of the eggs. Temperatures of less than 28 degrees Celsius produce males and above 29.5 degrees Celsius produce females.

Behavior
Galapagos tortoises are terrestrial and diurnal, or active in the daytime, and very fond of water. They are slow-moving animals, moving only 0.16 miles per hour. They have a dominance hierarchy based on the height to which the tortoise can stretch its head. The Galapagos tortoise's eyesight is extremely poor, so much so that the males will try to mate with almost anything resembling a female, even a large rock. These tortoises spend their day grazing and relaxing in the sun. They also enjoy drinking and wallowing in puddles of water. Nights are usually spent half submerged in mud or water or burrowed in dense brush. This keeps them warm during the cool night hours.

Adaptations
Galapagos tortoises have large scales on their legs that act as protective devices when they withdraw into their shell. When withdrawing, they protect their head by meeting their elbows front. The Galapagos tortoise's foot bones are structured to facilitate walking, and their pillar-like legs help support their weight.  Their lower jaws are covered by horny ridges with serrated edges that help them cut through tough plants. Galapagos tortoises also have a good sense of smell.

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