World's Largest Tortoises arrive at ZSL London Zoo

Four of the world’s biggest tortoises have arrived at ZSL London Zoo, although they are smaller than you think. The baby Galapagos tortoises have taken up residence at the zoo. Currently only weighing 2kg, these infants are expected to grow to a massive size, measuring 400kg in weight.

The three-year-old, tortoise siblings, named Cruz, Cristobal, Isabela and Santiago, arrived from Switzerland and are expected to grow to giant tortoises, albeit a slow process.

Zookeeper, Joe Capon, talked about the tortoises and stated, ‘Our new giants have quickly made themselves at home – they’ve particularly been enjoying the wild dandelions and leafy greens we grow especially for them on-site at ZSL London Zoo.

‘They may be small now, but these four Galapagos tortoises will get to around 400kg as they reach adulthood like our other giant tortoises Dolly, Polly, Priscilla and Dirk.

‘We’re excited for visitors to be able to see a different stage in the amazing life of a Galapagos tortoise – they’re slow growers, but this incredible species continues to grow through their whole lives, which can last an incredible 200 years.  It’s a real eye-opener to see how small they are now and compare this to how big they will become.’

To see the amazing tortoises in their new home, visit ZSL London Zoo. For more information and tickets, click HERE.