Pinzon Island Giant Tortoise Chelonoidis (niger) duncanensis

The Pinzon Island Giant Tortoise is one of the "saddle-backed" species/subspecies with a saddle-shaped neck dome and relatively long neck and legs to allow it to browse on bushes and low tree growth. It is one of the smaller "giants" with an adult carapace length of some 80-90cm.

Living now on the southwest of Pinzon Island, the population had been decimated in the 19th century by capture by shipping crews for meat and subsequently by introduction of rats so that no young were reared. A hand-rearing project has increased the population to over 500 but it remains extremely vulnerable.