The Galapagos Tortoise and the Snapping Turtle

By Jeffrey M. Bowen

 

We were witnessing a slow-motion confrontation between two giant creatures, each weighing hundreds of pounds, on the island of Santa Cruz in the Galapagos.  At issue was ownership of a muddy water hole nestled in the grassy surroundings of a tortoise farm.  About 200 of these strange helmeted creatures were slowly aging there, some of them more than 100 years old.  

 As we watched, the two opponents faced off by bracing up their front legs, raising their surprisingly long necks, and opening their jaws wide while hissing.  By no coincidence, the one with the longer neck dominated and chased off his opponent at a snails’ pace.  It was just as likely, said our guide, that what we saw was a mating ritual.  A male and female might be inching their way toward an awkward tryst.   In the wild, the line between love and war may deceive us.   

 How did some 15 different species of tortoise find their way from mainland South America to the Galapagos archipelago?  No one really knows, but with no natural predators and mountains of lush grass, some of them grow up to six feet long and a thousand pounds.  After near extinction (their meat is a sailor’s delight), currently they number more than 15,000.  The tortoises are well prepared to survive since they can live without food or water for up to 16 months, and they spend up to 16 hours daily just resting.

 Tortoises remind me of other-worldly creatures because their kind faces and stretchable necks look just like E.T. trying to phone home.   They also remind me of a brontosaurus from millions of years ago, contentedly munching on vegetation in Jurassic Park.  

 In contrast, there is a reptilian relative, also a turtle, who looks and acts a bit like tyrannosaurus rex.  This creature is threatening, ugly, loves raw meat, and has a nasty bite.

We call him a snapper.  He lives nearby.   

 The snapping turtle was declared New York state’s reptile in 2006.  They may weigh up to 30 pounds, have shells up to 20 inches long, and they can live up to 50 years in captivity.

Unlike tortoises who dwell on land and may drink abundant amounts of water, the snapper seldom strays far from the water of ponds, lakes and streams and emerges only in the spring to lay eggs.   Wikipedia literature rightly describes them as aggressive predators with a belligerent disposition.  Their powerful beak-like jaws can snap off careless fingers.  And they have a surprisingly mobile head and neck and can move fast for a turtle – but only when they want to.

 Like many who live near rural ponds, we enjoy stories about snappers.  Several of these pre-historic looking creatures thrive in our pond.  A few years ago, one of them, in search of soft ground to lay eggs, decided to stop for a rest in our pool.  

 Every morning she would topple into our pool and glare menacingly at us.  During the night she would climb out and leave.  Meanwhile we tried hoisting her out with a shovel.  Unfortunately, she was too heavy.  One day we just happened to leave our radio on by the pool.  Upon returning, we were amazed to find her nestled right beside the speaker.  We had discovered a promising strategy for turtle removal.  It worked for us more than once.  Despite having no ear drums, apparently turtles can respond to lower or deeper sound frequencies and vibrations. 

 A Galapagos tortoise and a New York snapper seem worlds apart, but they share many similarities.  Technically, they are all turtles.  Both have a permanent domed carapace and scales made of the same substances as our own fingernails and hair.  Both need air to breathe.  Both lay eggs on land and go to great lengths to do so, then abandoning the result.  The temperature of the soil pre-determines the sex inside those eggs.   Both are cold-blooded creatures who need heat to activate.  Both live very long lives.  Neither has teeth (but this does not preclude nasty bites).  Both hiss when angry or threatened. 

 There are some big differences.  Turtles live in water, while tortoises live on land.  Most turtles have web feet.  Tortoises have clawed feet, powered by massive hind legs to push their weight up and forward.  Aesop’s fable suggests why the tortoise won his race with the hare.  Those sturdy legs pushed him to the finish while the cocky hare fell asleep.  Tortoises and turtles convince us that slow and steady wins the race.