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Galapagos Tortoises are among the most iconic animals in the world. Extremely rare, they exist naturally only on the Galapagos Islands, a province of Ecuador. Of the original 15 species of giant tortoise discovered, only 15 remain and most are critically endangered. They live longer than any other vertebrate and can store enough water to survive for up to a year without eating or drinking. It is this ability that made it possible for their ancestors to survive the trip from Africa long ago. The Galapagos Islands were made famous when Charles Darwin visited in 1835 and studied the animals and birds, finding that they had uniquely adapted to life on each island. Their isolation led to physical changes in a species that allowed them to thrive under different conditions. It was this adaptation that inspired and shaped Darwin's theory of evolution that changed the way we looked at the world and at ourselves.