Goliath

Aldabra giant tortoise: World’s Tallest Tortoise

 

Aldabra giant tortoise: World's Tallest Tortoise
Image source – Google | Image by – nationalzoo

 

The Aldabra giant tortoise stands over nine feet tall and is the tallest tortoise in the world. It is a vegetarian, and feeds mostly on cacti and grasses. It also likes most types of fruit and vegetables. These tortoises can walk three to four miles a day. Because of their large size and strength, they are not easily harmed by humans. However, when threatened, they can draw in their tails and hiss in a loud manner.

Aldabra tortoises breed from February to May. The female of the species digs a shallow depression in the ground in which she lays her eggs. The eggs, which are approximately two inches long, hatch after about 3.5 months in warm temperatures. The young of Aldabra tortoises are small and do not weigh more than three inches.

The world’s tallest tortoise is a G. flavomarginatus, which measures 135.8 cm (4 ft 5 in) in length and 102 cm (3 ft 4 in) wide. Its mass is approximately 417 kg (919 lb), and it moves around at a speed of 0.27 km/h. It also has the distinction of being the slowest tortoise to date.

This species reaches its full size at around 30 years of age. The gestation period is seventy-five to eighty days, and the clutch is laid in July or August. The female burrows a hole 20 cm deep outside the entrance. The egg is laid near the edge of the burrow, where it can regulate its temperature. Once the eggs hatch, the young must dig their way out of the nest. Their sex is determined by the temperature of the egg, and warm nests produce more females than cold ones.

Stigmochelys pardalis: World’s Tallest Tortoise

 

Stigmochelys pardalis: World's Tallest Tortoise
Image source – Google | Image by – Giuseppe Mazza

 

Stigmochelys pardaris, or leopard tortoise, is a large tortoise with a carapace up to 28 inches long. Its leopard-like spots are a characteristic feature that gives this tortoise its common name. This tortoise is also one of the largest in the world.

It is believed that the M. atlas tortoise, which is the second tallest species, evolved on a continental continent. This means that it adapted to a faster lifestyle than similar-sized tortoises found on islands, such as the Galapagos.

G. flavomarginatus: World’s Tallest Tortoise

 

G. flavomarginatus: World's Tallest Tortoise
Image source – Google | Image by – Ulises Romero-Méndez

 

Stigmochelys gigantea

 

Stigmochelys gigantea
Image source – Google | Image by – reptilianostra

 

The giant tortoise is the world’s tallest animal, standing a whopping 66 feet tall. It is the only species of tortoise to reach this length. Although they are smaller than mammals, giant tortoises are analogues for sauropods in some ways. The neck length of the giant tortoise affects its shell, raising interesting biomechanical questions.

Tortoises can live over 150 years, making them comparable to humans in terms of lifespan. In some cultures, tortoises are symbolic of longevity. One of the world’s oldest tortoises, called Tui Malila, belonged to the Tongan royal family. When it died, it was 188 years old.

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