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Indefatigable Island Giant Tortoise
Chelonoidis porteri
Silhouette: Andrew A. Farke · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassTestudines
- FamilyTestudinidae (Tortoises)
- GenusChelonoidis (Galápagos Giant Tortoises and Allies)
- SpeciesChelonoidis porteri (Indefatigable Island Giant Tortoise)
In 3 days ~70% in a week >90%
842 Verified sightings at Galápagos Islands From 2019 to 2026
842 In 1 park
April Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted
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About the Indefatigable Island Giant Tortoise
The western Santa Cruz tortoise (Chelonoidis niger porteri) is a subspecies of Galápagos tortoise endemic to Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos. They are found only on the southwestern slopes of the island, with an estimated range of 141 sq. kilometers. There are approximately 3400 individuals in the wild, and have seen rising numbers in population, despite being critically endangered. MtDNA evidence shows that there are actually three genetically distinct populations on Santa Cruz Island. They are characterised by a black, oval carapace (to 130 cm) that is domed, higher in the centre than in the front, and broad anteriorly. Their life expectancy is 175 years. Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Indefatigable Island Giant Tortoise in Galápagos Islands
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Galápagos Islands | 🇪🇨 Ecuador |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Closest Relatives at Galápagos Islands
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing an Indefatigable Island Giant Tortoise in Galápagos Islands?
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report an Indefatigable Island Giant Tortoise sighting in Galápagos Islands on a given day, based on 842 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 8th most-seen of the 31 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see an Indefatigable Island Giant Tortoise in Galápagos Islands?
April, June, September–October and December–February
In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report an Indefatigable Island Giant Tortoise in Galápagos Islands on a given day, against about 30% in March, May, July–August and November, the lowest months.
What time of day is best to see an Indefatigable Island Giant Tortoise?
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Indefatigable Island Giant Tortoise sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Where else can you see an Indefatigable Island Giant Tortoise?
Only Galápagos Islands, in our data
Galápagos Islands is the only park on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Indefatigable Island Giant Tortoise sightings: about 40% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
Which relatives of the Indefatigable Island Giant Tortoise live in Galápagos Islands?
Same genus: Chelonoidis
The closest relatives of the Indefatigable Island Giant Tortoise that you can see in Galápagos Islands (genus Chelonoidis, Galápagos Giant Tortoises and Allies) are Galápagos Giant Tortoise (about 50%), Sierra Negra Giant Tortoise (about 10%) and Chatham Island Giant Tortoise (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
Where does the Indefatigable Island Giant Tortoise sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Indefatigable Island Giant Tortoise is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Galápagos Islands (842 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
