Nature Unfiltered: Galápagos Tortoises Mating

On our last full day in the Galápagos Islands, we visited the El Chato Tortoise Reserve on Santa Cruz. This highland area is one of the best places to see the famous Galápagos giant tortoises in their natural habitat. These are the dome-shaped tortoises—one of several subspecies found across the islands. They can weigh over 200 kilograms and live well over 100 years.

We weren’t just lucky to see them—we arrived at the right time to witness something even more special: mating behavior. Tortoise mating is a slow and deliberate process that is also surprisingly loud. The male mounts the female and can stay in position for quite a while. During this time, he often makes deep grunting or groaning sounds, which you can hear from quite a distance.