Galapagos Giant Tortoise & Vermilion Flycatcher, 1996

Eleven of the fourteen subspecies of Galápagos Giant Tortoise exist today in the Galápagos Islands National Park of Ecuador about 600 miles off the coast of South America. Variations of the original tortoise population eveolved as a result of geographical isolation of groups throughout the islands. Those with dome-shaped carapaces (above) live where vegetation is more lush and easy to reach while saddlebacked subspecies (left) developed a flared shell, longer forelegs and neck to enable greater reach for the higher, sparser vegetation of drier habitats. Weight can reach 600 pounds. The Vermilion Flycatcher often hitches a ride of the tortoise to catch insects that may fly up as the tortoise travels along.