Galapagos Travel Blog

There can be little doubt that this tortoise is an aboriginal
inhabitant of the Galapagos; for it is found on all, or nearly all,
the islands, even on some of the smaller ones where there is no
water; had it been an imported species this would hardly have been
the case in a group which has been so little frequented. Moreover,
the old Bucaniers found this tortoise in greater numbers even than
at present: Wood and Rogers also, in 1708, say that it is the
opinion of the Spaniards that it is found nowhere else in this
quarter of the world. It is now widely distributed; but it may be
questioned whether it is in any other place an aboriginal. The
bones of a tortoise at Mauritius, associated with those of the
extinct Dodo, have generally been considered as belonging to this
tortoise; if this had been so, undoubtedly it must have been there
indigenous; but M. Bibron informs me that he believes that it was
distinct, as the species now living there certainly is.