Researches showed that the internal organs of the Galapagos tortoise are well preserved even after 100 years, and they have the same characteristics as the ones of a young tortoise. In Calcutta, a 250 years old Galapagos tortoise died a few years ago. It is likely for even older tortoises to exist, but this is more difficult to prove.
Researchers were not able to find a logical explanation of this phenomenon. It is likely for the alimentation to be the reason why those reptiles live so long. One of the most interesting aspects about this tortoise is the mating period. A female is courted by several males, which fight one another. The ones that are defeated withdraw from the battle when they are tired. The winner has the honor to have siblings, but the configuration of bodies make the process hard. The male must insist and patience is required. The sexual act lasts for a while. For some unknown reasons, the couple even eats one time during the mating process.
The longevity of Galapagos turtles is a reason for debate for researchers, but those were not able to find the right reason for which this species lives so long. The problem is of great interest, as the explanation can be used for extrapolating, even for the human race. In the opinion of some people, the reason for this longevity hides even in their genetic code, so it is impossible to “decode” the DNA of Galapagos tortoises and to use them for other reasons.
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