Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Santiago Island giant tortoise (Chelonoidis darwini), recorded as Critically Endangered
Santiago Island giant tortoise (Chelonoidis darwini). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Critically Endangered

Santiago Island giant tortoise

Chelonoidis darwini

Santiago Island giant tortoise is a tortoise in the family Testudinidae — Chelonoidis darwini, recorded as Critically Endangered.

Status
Critically Endangered
Scientific name
Chelonoidis darwini
Taxonomy
Testudines · Testudinidae · Chelonoidis

Appearance

The gray to black carapace of C. N. Darwini is intermediate in shape between the saddle-backed subspecies and the domed subspecies of Galápagos tortoises.

Range and habitat

Their habitats include deciduous forests, evergreen montane forests, and humid grass land. At maturity they reside in the highlands of Santiago Island in the Galapagos. Even so, in the first 10-15 years of their lives the remain in they mountainous lands of the island.

The Santiago Island giant tortoise (Chelonoidis niger darwini), also known commonly as the Santiago giant tortoise and the James Island tortoise, is a subspecies of Galápagos tortoise in the family Testudinidae. The subspecies is endemic to Santiago Island (also known as James Island and San Salvador) in the Galápagos.

Pins are Wikidata “endemic to” fields. Orange dots, when present, are GBIF occurrence tiles — survey bias included.

Diet

The diet of C. N. Darwini consists of cacti, herbs, and grass found on Santiago Island. The water in their diet is obtained by the vegetation they consume or by temporary pools.

In crisis

None of C. N. Darwini were removed from Santiago Island in the early 19th century by whaling vessels, and introduced goats reduced the coastal lowlands to deserts, restricting the tortoises to the interior. There are approximately 1,165 individuals in the wild, with an increasing population.

Santiago Island giant tortoise is Critically Endangered on this catalog because that is the IUCN category stored on Wikidata. Confirm the official criteria and any later count on iucnredlist.org.

Sources

Written for this catalog from the English Wikipedia article on Santiago Island giant tortoise, Wikidata item Q2854422. Family and order context is original field-guide writing about the group, not a copied assessment of this one species. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA. Not an IUCN assessment. Counts, when quoted, can change — confirm them on the recovery programme and on iucnredlist.org.

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia · Wikidata · IUCN Red List.

Same genus

Photograph of Chelonoidis donfaustoi (Chelonoidis donfaustoi), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Chelonoidis donfaustoi

Chelonoidis donfaustoi
Photograph of Chelonoidis guentheri (Chelonoidis guntheri), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Chelonoidis guentheri

Chelonoidis guntheri
Photograph of Fernandina Island Galápagos tortoise (Chelonoidis phantastica), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Fernandina Island Galápagos tortoise

Chelonoidis phantastica
Photograph of Hood Island giant tortoise (Chelonoidis hoodensis), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Hood Island giant tortoise

Chelonoidis hoodensis

Quick answers

What is Santiago Island giant tortoise?
Santiago Island giant tortoise is a tortoise in the family Testudinidae — Chelonoidis darwini.
What is the conservation status of Santiago Island giant tortoise?
Critically Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Chelonoidis darwini. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Santiago Island giant tortoise live?
Their habitats include deciduous forests, evergreen montane forests, and humid grass land.
Why is Santiago Island giant tortoise in crisis?
There are approximately 1,165 individuals in the wild, with an increasing population.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Chelonoidis darwini?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Santiago Island giant tortoise a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.