Galapagos Giant Tortoises
- 1st Edition - November 11, 2020
- Latest edition
- Editors: James P. Gibbs, Linda J. Cayot, Washington Tapia A.
- Language: English
Galapagos Giant Tortoises brings together researchers and conservationists to share the most up-to-date knowledge of Galapagos giant tortoises. Despite being icons of the world-… Read more
Galapagos Giant Tortoises brings together researchers and conservationists to share the most up-to-date knowledge of Galapagos giant tortoises. Despite being icons of the world-famous Galapagos Archipelago and the target of more than 50 years of conservation research and management, Galapagos giant tortoise evolution and much of their ecology remained unknown until recently. This book documents the history, the pressing conservation issues, and success stories recovering several of the 15 different species of Galapagos tortoises from near extinction.The book begins with an overview of the history of the relationship between humans and Galapagos giant tortoises, starting from initial heavy exploitation of tortoises by pirates and whalers, and extending to the start of the modern conservation era in the 1960s. The book then shifts to biology, describing Galapagos tortoise evolution, taxonomy, ecology, habitats, reproduction, and behavior. Next the decades of conservation efforts and their results are reviewed, including issues of captive breeding, invasive species, introduced diseases, and de-extinction, as well as the current status and distribution of every species. The final portion of the book turns to four case studies of restoration, and then looks ahead to the future of all tortoise populations.The latest volume in the Biodiversity of the World: Conservation from Genes to Landscape series, Galapagos Giant Tortoises is a valuable resource for researchers and conservationists, as well as students of biology, wildlife conservation, and herpetology.
- Provides a comprehensive overview of the Galapagos giant tortoise species as written and edited by the world’s leading experts
- Presents examples of restoration of tortoise populations following the near extinction of many of them
- Describes conservation strategies to ensure the full recovery of all extant species
- Explores recent efforts using replacement tortoises for extinct species to restore island ecosystems
Conservationists, researchers, and students in wildlife conservation, conservation biology, herpetology, captive breeding, habitat management, and invasive species control worldwide; visitors to the Galapagos Islands
Section I: Overview
1. The Galapagos: Island Home of Giant Tortoises
2. Galapagos tortoises: Protagonists in the spectacle of life on Earth
Section II: History of Human - Tortoise Interactions
4. The era of exploitation: 1700-1959
5. Darwin and the Galapagos giant tortoises
6. The Collectors: Beginnings of scientific inquiry and the lasting impacts of living and museum collections
Section III: Natural History
8. Morphology
9. Reproduction
10. Thermoregulation
11. Behavior and Diet
12. Population biology
13. Movement ecology
14. Habitats
15. Role in Ecosystems
16. Galapagos Tortoises in a Changing Climate
Section IV: Conservation: Slow Rescue from Near Destruction
18. Tortoise health
19. Invasive Species: Impacts, Control, and Eradication
20. Tortoise Populations after 60 Years of Conservation
Section V: Restoration Case Studies
22. Pinzón Island: A Century of Zero Tortoise Hatchlings to a Growing Population
23. Floreana and Pinta Islands: Restoring Tortoise Populations through Lost Lineage Recovery
24. Santa Fe Island: Return of tortoises via a replacement species
Section VI: Into the Future
- Edition: 1
- Latest edition
- Published: November 11, 2020
- Language: English
JG
James P. Gibbs
James P. Gibbs, Ph.D. is Distinguished Professor of Environmental and Forest Biology at the State University of New York’s College of Environmental Science and Forestry, where he has served since 1997, and also currently serves as Vice President of Galápagos Conservancy (since 2023). He earned degrees from the University of Maine (B.S. with Distinction, 1986), the University of Missouri (M.A., 1988), and Yale University (Ph.D., 1995). Gibbs has held leadership roles including Director of the Roosevelt Wild Life Station at SUNY-ESF and senior appointments with Columbia University, Yale, and Ecuador’s SENESCYT Prometeo Program. He has authored more than 240 peer-reviewed papers and several books, including Galápagos Giant Tortoises (2020), Fundamentals of Conservation Biology (2021, 4th ed.), and Amphibians and Reptiles of New York State (2007). His conservation and research leadership has been supported by more than $15M in grants from NSF, NASA, USAID, and others, with projects spanning the Galápagos, Amazonia, Mongolia, Siberia, Tanzania, and the U.S. He serves on the Boards of Island Conservation, the Fund for the Control of Invasive Species in Galápagos, and Fundación Conservando Galápagos.
Affiliations and expertise
State University of New York College of Environmental Science and ForestryLC
Linda J. Cayot
Dr. Linda J. Cayot has worked for Galapagos conservation for 40 years. She received her PhD on Galapagos giant tortoises from Syracuse University, New York, US. Dr. Cayot served as herpetologist at the Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS) from 1988 to 1998. In 1997-98, she initiated Project Isabela, aimed at eradicating feral goats on northern Isabela Island. She worked for Galapagos Conservancy in the US from 2006 to 2019, where she played a lead role in the development of the Giant Tortoise Restoration Initiative.
Affiliations and expertise
Galapagos Conservancy, Fairfax, Virginia, USAWT
Washington Tapia A.
Washington Tapia Aguilera, Ph.D. is a conservation biologist and one of the foremost leaders in Galápagos restoration, with more than three decades of experience in research and management of protected areas. He earned his Ph.D. in Biodiversity and Environment from the University of Málaga (2024). Tapia has held senior leadership roles in Galápagos conservation, including Executive Director of the Galápagos National Park (2005–2006), Director of Conservation, Sustainable Development, and Research (2009–2012), and Director of Applied Research (2012–2014). From 2014 to 2025 he directed the Giant Tortoise Restoration Initiative for Galápagos Conservancy, pioneering rewilding efforts that have transformed conservation outcomes for these iconic species. Currently Tapia serves as CEO of Biodiversa Consultants, based in the Galapagos Islands, and continues to advise globally on biodiversity management and ecological restoration.
Affiliations and expertise
Biodiversa ConsultantsRead Galapagos Giant Tortoises on ScienceDirect