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There are two distinct groups of Galapagos giant tortoises - the saddlebacks and domed tortoises. Saddlebacks like this one have a high front to the shell to allow the animal to reach up high to taller vegetation, these live in drier regions where the tortoises have had to be able to reach taller vegetation in order to get enough to eat.

The other group, the dome-shaped tortoises have a shell where the front comes down lower. The dome-shaped varieties live in moister regions generally higher up on the larger islands where there is plenty of suitable food found at ground level.

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