It took 300 years to name the Giant Tortoise
Why? Brace yourself, (you’re not going to like it) it was because they were so delicious.
But there is obviously a little more to the story than that. Let me explain.
Galapagos Giant Tortoise’s were a boon for sailors. According to dozens of accounts from the 16th century onwards, sailors would wax lyrical about how amazing they tasted. They were often compared to chicken, beef and mutton, but only to illustrate just how much better the tortoise tasted!
If that wasn’t enough, they were also easy to catch and transport. They could be kept alive without food or water for up to 6 months. Extremely useful for seafarers.
Add in that they also have a huge bladder that stores gallons of fresh water and you have a walking food and water storage solution.
Lastly, the oil made from the fat of a Giant Tortoise is medically useful. Great at fighting off colds and infections.
Great news for the sailors, not so good for the tortoise.
William Dampier, a 17th century pirate wrote about the Giant Tortoise:
They are so extraordinarily large and fat, and so sweet, that no pullet eats more pleasantly.
US Navy Captain David Porter (1780 – 1843) was even more effusive in his praise, stating:
after once tasting the Galapagos tortoises, every other animal food fell off greatly in our estimation … The meat of this animal is the easiest of digestion, and a quantity of it, exceeding that of any other food, can be eaten without experiencing the slightest of inconvenience.
They were so prized that over 200,000 of them were taken before the beginning of the 20th century. Decimating their populations and leaving them on the brink of extinction.
They were even brought to America for the California Gold Rush in 1849 to feed the mining population.
But I hear you cry, why did nobody name them?
Because they never ever made it back to port. So no scientist ever managed to study and classify them.
QI: Why it took 300 years to name the Giant Tortoise
Sources:
Historical Exploitation of the Giant Tortoise (Wikipedia)
Giant Tortoise did not receive a scientific name for over 300 years (Debate.org)
Tasty tale of the Tortoise (Theguardian.com)
Header Image (Pixabay.com)