On Santa Cruz the tortoises inhabit the moist highlands and are found in significant numbers on farms. The farmers, in an arrangement benefiting tortoise and farmer alike, allow the tortoises their space and in return open up their farms to camera-laden visitors, though this individual (the same one as in the previous image) was photographed on National Park land a short distance from one of the farms.

Though no longer hunted for meat, feral populations of introduced mammals, in particular cats, pigs, rats, and dogs, pose a significant threat to the eggs in tortoise nests as well as to tortoise hatchings in the first six months of life. On some islands, particularly Isabela, the goats outcompete the tortoises for a limited food supply.

Image #29000