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Chelonoidis vicina

Chelonoidis vicina

(Günther, 1875)
Tortuga Gigante de Isabela

Family: Testudinidae
Order: Testudines
Class: Reptilia
Phylum / Division: Chordata
Kingdom: Animalia

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Records from Islas Galápagos


Description


Chelonoidis niger vicina, commonly known as the Cerro Azul giant tortoise, Iguana Cove tortoise or the Isabela Island giant tortoise, is a subspecies of Galápagos tortoise endemic to Isabela Island in the Galápagos.

Population history: This population was depleted by seamen in the last 200 years and by extensive slaughter in the late 1950s and 1960s by employees of cattle companies based at Iguana Cove. Their population is thought to overlap with Chelonoidis niger guentheri.

A 2023 population study conducted by the Galápagos Conservancy estimated the subspecies´ population to be around 5275 individuals. This would make it the third most populous subspecies., behind C.vandenburghi and C.chathamensis.

 It has a thick, heavy shell intermediate between saddle-backed and domed, and not appreciably narrowed anteriorly. Males are larger and more saddle-backed; females are more domed. Until eradication programs, virtually all nests and hatchlings were destroyed by black rats, pigs, dogs, and cats.

Source: Wikipedia, article Chelonoidis vicina. Content adapted from Wikipedia, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license. Accessed on 18/07/2026.





Geographic distribution


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Species photographs

Last published photographs

Foto
Photography ID: 668902
  Juvenile

Isla Isabela
Islas Galápagos
Ecuador
05/17/2012
Eugenia Boggiano
Foto
Photography ID: 668901
  Adult

Isla Isabela
Islas Galápagos
Ecuador
05/17/2012
Eugenia Boggiano
Foto
Photography ID: 668900
  Adult

Isla Isabela
Islas Galápagos
Ecuador
05/17/2012
Eugenia Boggiano
Foto
Photography ID: 668899
  Adult

Isla Isabela
Islas Galápagos
Ecuador
05/17/2012
Eugenia Boggiano
Foto
Photography ID: 668898
  Adult

Isla Isabela
Islas Galápagos
Ecuador
05/17/2012
Eugenia Boggiano



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 Detail of places sorted by number of records








Page 1
Record IDDateExact timeCountryProvince / departmentPlaceFilmedPhotographedRecorded vocalObservedHeardWounded or deadNumber of individualsUser or BibliographyDetail
241966817/05/2012EcuadorIslas GalápagosIsla IsabelaEugenia Boggiano
Page 1

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Recommended citation
Please use the following reference when citing this species account.
EcoRegistros. 2026. Chelonoidis vicina – Species account. Accessed from www.ecoregistros.org on 21/09/2026.