Shell-backed reptiles of the largest proportions are a true delight in the Galapagos Islands. For visitors with a higher than average penchant for giant tortoises, a visit to the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center on Isabela Island is heartily encouraged.
On the trail to the breeding center, travelers will see a number of Isabela's most arresting landscapes. The main boardwalk starts in the town of Puerto Villamil, and passes through a mangrove-filled lagoon and groves of lush plants before reaching the breeding center.
Isabela focuses its breeding efforts on the Sierra Negra and Cerro Azul Volcano populations of tortoises, because these two populations often suffer some of the largest population losses from human presence.
The breeding center takes care of tortoises from the time of hatchlings until they are considered old enough to survive on their own, and so the inhabitants of the center range grandly in size and age. From the tiniest of claws to shells the size of a small boulder, Isabela's breeding center exudes just how much these giant reptiles grow in a relatively short time.
Take your time at the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center
Posted on Thursday, April 12th, 2012
