A Sheltered Life: The Unexpected History of the Giant Tortoise
They seem the stuff of myths or legends--giant tortoises large enough to carry a human on their backs. In 1535 the first description of an actual giant tortoise reached the king of Spain when a Spanish vessel off the coast of South America noted the presence of giant tortoises on a group of "worthless" islands. At about the same time, tortoises were found on isolated islands in the Indian Ocean near Madagascar. So began the checkered relationship between giant tortoises and humans. Chambers, a scientist with London's Natural History Museum, recounts the often-tragic story of the giant tortoises in this highly readable account. To Charles Darwin the tortoises were seminal for his theory of evolution. In modern times, the remaining tortoises are being bred in captivity. Written in a conversational style that makes the science easy to understand, and full of engaging stories, this is the single best book on the subject available.Nancy BentCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved