The World Used To Be Full of Giant Tortoises

Рік тому

The world used to be full of giant tortoises, and the ones that live on the Seychelles and Galápagos islands are all we have left. But how did these big reptiles get to the islands in the first place? And why is turtle anatomy so weird?
Subscribe to the pin club here: store.dftba.com/collections/b...
This month's pin is designed by Brooke Barker. You can find out more about her and her work here: sadanimalfacts.com/
You can cancel any time by emailing hello@dftba.com
Follow us on socials:
Twitter: / bizarrebeasts
Instagram: / bizarrebeastsshow
Facebook: / bizarrebeastsshow
#BizarreBeasts #turtles #gianttortoise
Host: Hank Green (he/him)
-----
Sources:
islandbiodiversity.com/hunting...
www.livescience.com/can-turtl...
www.nature.com/articles/ncomm...
animaldiversity.org/accounts/...
animaldiversity.org/accounts/...
www.oaklandzoo.org/animals/al...
nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/al...
animals.sandiegozoo.org/anima...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/1...
www.nature.com/articles/d4158...
www.biorxiv.org/content/biorx...
www.torreyaguardians.org/hanse...
link.springer.com/chapter/10....
www.sciencedirect.com/science...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/p...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/p...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/p...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/p...
courses.lumenlearning.com/sun...
------
Images:
Thumbnail photo: Dr. Dennis Hansen
bit.ly/3GJv5DK
bit.ly/3GjFFzV
bit.ly/3Cr0UyO
bit.ly/3GHMHzJ
bit.ly/3VOcfQa
bit.ly/3VMZ16b
bit.ly/3QmGWLk
bit.ly/3vJKwWm
bit.ly/3ihSm6h
bit.ly/3ieEc5S
bit.ly/3jJPT4U
bit.ly/3XbA4Tg
bit.ly/3Z8hKMx
• Tortoise Hunting a Ter...
bit.ly/3jVRrJh
bit.ly/3jT9xLU
bit.ly/3WNouOk
bit.ly/3GnDIlY
www.inaturalist.org/observati...
bit.ly/3GcMmUc
bit.ly/3Qfh6c5
www.flickr.com/photos/fncll/4...
bit.ly/3XqYdW3
www.gettyimages.com/detail/vi...
www.gettyimages.com/detail/il...
www.gettyimages.com/detail/vi...
www.gettyimages.com/detail/ph...
www.gettyimages.com/detail/ph...
courses.lumenlearning.com/sun...
www.gettyimages.com/detail/vi...
www.gettyimages.com/detail/ph...
www.gettyimages.com/detail/vi...
www.gettyimages.com/detail/il...
www.inaturalist.org/observati...
www.gettyimages.com/detail/vi...
www.inaturalist.org/observati...
www.gettyimages.com/detail/vi...
• Tortoise Hunting a Ter...
www.gettyimages.com/detail/vi...
www.gettyimages.com/detail/vi...
www.gettyimages.com/detail/vi...

КОМЕНТАРІ: 269

@BizarreBeasts 10 місяців тому

Find your wonderful, signed, limited edition art print by Emily Graslie right here: store.dftba.com/collections/bizarrebeasts/products/emily-graslie-print

@a.j.kimball1240 Рік тому

You mentioned Komodo dragons being a case of insular gigantism, and while this is partially true, what's fascinating is that they are actually an example of insular dwarfism as well! Komodo dragons and their relatives were once widespread throughout South East Asia, and even into Australia. The ancestors of modern Komodo dragons likely reached their massive sizes on an island in SEA, but when they reached the tiny island of Komodo, they actually shrunk! So islands helped Komodo dragons reach their huge size, but they also shrunk em down a bit, and I find that to be fascinating.

@Jesse__H Рік тому

That's very interesting! I'd only add that the video didn't precisely say Komodo dragons are an example of insular gigantism, rather that they're an example of Foster's Rule / The Island Rule (2:05), which covers bigger animals getting smaller and smaller animals getting bigger 😊👍

@vincentx2850 Рік тому

This is not completely true. While monitor lizards as a group likely originates in Asia, the lineage which Komodo dragon belongs to (along with things like perentie, lace monitor and ackie monitor) evolved in Australasia in a single radiation event. There is in fact fossils of Komodo dragon itself in Australia. And like the giant tortoises, Komodo dragon's range expanded into the Flores islands, and later going extinct in the island continent where they came from, making those surviving today a relic population.

@henryarmstrong3040 Рік тому

Can I just say this is an amazing conversation of umm actually. And I greatly appreciate it. Herpatology rules!

@sampagano205 Рік тому

@@vincentx2850 also the closest relative we know komodo dragons ever had is Megalania, the largest lizard to ever live (on land). Which means the common ancestor of all of those monitors was probably also a giant.

@a.j.kimball1240 Рік тому

@@vincentx2850 Exactly right, although unless I am getting my information mixed up (which is totally possible) that komodo dragon fossils found elsewhere in australasia are indeed larger than modern individuals in komodo. Again, totally possible Im misremembering something though. Thank you for elaborating on it though!

@NewMessage Рік тому

When I was a kid, the teacher had us all stand up and tell the class what we wanted to be when we grew up, and after a litany of police, firemen, soldiers and sports stars, I stood up and proudly declared I wanted to be a tortoise. Over 40 years later, I still stand by that declaration.

@necroseus Рік тому

Did you succeed?????????

@bobjoefred777 Рік тому

Same, tbh

@hicknopunk Рік тому

Do you play War Tortoise 2 on Android?

@takenname8053 Рік тому

How big are your ribs?

@kellydalstok8900 Рік тому

I know at least two zoos that have a (fake?) giant tortoise shell on display that you can crawl into. That way you can test if a tortoise life suits you.

@theghosthero6173 Рік тому

Something to note. This video says giant tortoise didn't exist in Australia. While it it true that giant tortoise didn't exist in Australia, this might be mostly due to the fact that niche was already occupied by stem tortoise, cousins of tortoise such as the giant meiolania, that existed there. They had horns and club like tails, pretty cool.

@WildWorld81 Рік тому

And they existed on offshore islands until the mid-Holocene (New Caledonia, Lord Howe Island and possibly Vanuatu and Fiji)

@kyrab7914 Рік тому

Neat! I smell a good eons episode

@VlachosVaggelis Рік тому

Meiolanids are not tortoises in the strict sense and in fact sit outside the clade of modern turtles. They were terrestrial turtles but not tortoises. Now, some records previously attributed to meiolanids from Vanuatu islands we now think that they actually belong to tortoises! How did they get there is another story…

@loxodoncyclotis1823 Рік тому

They were basically Ankylosaurs

@jansenart0 Рік тому

Make no mistake: most "herbivores" are only such because they have difficulty acquiring prey, and are actually opportunistic omnivores. You'll know what I mean if you've ever seen that horse with the chicks.

@JubioHDX Рік тому

yup, theres no such thing as a strict herbivore/carnivore in the wild, a turtle or a horse would eat a mouse if it didnt try to run, and even a cat will decide to eat some grass now and then when it feels it needs it (to be clear i mean the more "strict" carnivore wild cats ik domestic ones are a bit more adapted for being genuine omnivores)

@jansenart0 Рік тому

@@JubioHDX My RES is a fierce hunter. We've trained him in the ways of extreme violence and fear of the unknown.

@kolt9051 10 місяців тому

I had no idea. Both this video and your comment blow my mind

@jansenart0 10 місяців тому

@@kolt9051 This is what it's all about. ♥

@akechijubeimitsuhide 9 місяців тому

Didn't some horse eat a wholeass French soldier during Bonaparte's Russian campaign

@PastelBat Рік тому

I am so happy you mentioned Jonathan!!! I have been fascinated by him for years and I even celebrated his birthday last year!

@DAMfoxygrampa Рік тому

That's a cool idea, I may do the same

@meghanandrews6574 Рік тому

This is exactly the turtle content I've been craving! Turtles and tortoises are the best! 🐢

@adadeutsch9593 Рік тому

Very accurate observation!

@andrewstunich8173 Рік тому

I was paddle boarding in Kauwaii several years ago when I observed a shadow in the water of to my right. I was initially scared it was a large shark but then as it swam underneath me I got a good look and it was a very latge turtle of some type. It was so big and beautiful that I was ecstatic to have had the opportunity to see it so closely in its natural environment unmolested.

@BattlingBeasts Рік тому

You guys forgot to mention the third giant tortoise- the sulcata tortoise of Central Africa which can grow up to two hundred pounds and is the only remaining mainland giant tortoise.

@lonestarr1490 Рік тому

Do they count as _giant tortoises,_ or just _really large tortoises?_

@Exquailibur Рік тому

The size gap between the sulcata and the two island giants isnt enough to make them incomparable, plus the fourth largest species is significantly smaller only getting to around 60 lbs. Id personally argue that the sulcata tortoise that weights more than me is giant while the one that weighs half as much as me is large. when it comes to reptiles anything over 100 pounds is pretty giant and not a lot of reptiles get there, not even all the crocodilians. The 500 lb turtles that live on those islands are just monsters at that point, giant isnt enough to describe them.

@kingofthegrill Рік тому

And the fourth, Manouria Emys, the Giant Asian Forest Tortoise AKA Burmese Tortoise, in my opinion one of the coolest tortoise and by all accounts the oldest species of tortoise still alive.

@Exquailibur Рік тому

@@kingofthegrill I like how that species has a comparably more flattened shell than most

@kingofthegrill Рік тому

@@Exquailibur That, their eyes, their throats, they've got a lot of really cool characteristics you don't see on many tortoises.

@TurtleNerite Рік тому

Technically, there was a giant tortoise in Australia, the Meiolania, though it is not closely related to the modern turtles. Instead its a stem-turtle whose group is a sister-taxon to the modern Chelonia.

@dappertophat Рік тому

videos about animal/biology facts make me very happy. the existence of this channel makes me very happy.

@IcyMidnight Рік тому

Foster's rule doesn't explain the giant tortoises, it simply describes it.

@adamsouza7140 Рік тому

Hey, "believe science"

@Kelly-ib1hf Рік тому

Cannot express how much joy the Bizarre Beasts pin club brings to me. People ask me about the pins all the time and I get to geek out about how cool nature is. And I really enjoy defacing my (gifted) Kate Spade purse with nerdy pins.

@Balu_420 Рік тому

As a child of maybe 5 or 6 years, my family and I went to a zoo in Stuttgart. As a curious child, I went ahead of my parents in the reptile enclosure. When I see this huge tortoise my younger me just HAD to sit on that beautiful creature. The shell was super warm and felt extremely comftable. A minute or so later some adult person told me I should not do this, they can bite off fingers. Big sad. I felt like I found a new buddy

@Aj-xo5ud Рік тому

Tortoises be chillin

@rammylive4081 Рік тому

you should do an episode on the grasshopper nematode (Mermis nigrescens). with their unique method of locomotion when scanning for hosts and its atypical snake-like slithering otherwise, its thousands of eggs carried at a time, and its eye which only occurs in females and use of crystalline haemoglobin to help sense light (something not observed in any other organism), there is plenty to talk about. i reckon it could make a neat little pin, too.

@ThatJaymsWisdom Рік тому

Still the greatest channel on UKposts. I'm having a terrible day (again) and this video really helped calm me down (again).

@sydneymomma11 Рік тому

Sending you love and hope you feel better soon. 💜

@ThatJaymsWisdom Рік тому

@@sydneymomma11 Thanks ♥️

@BizarreBeasts Рік тому

Hope you are feeling better!!!

@ThatJaymsWisdom Рік тому

@@BizarreBeasts I'm a little better after the weekend, thank you. I think I should probably get a new job, teaching and marking at the uni I'm at is killing my spirit for education.

@Keenakeen 6 місяців тому

"There used to be giant tortoises on every continent, except for Australia and Antarctica." Meiolania, the Horned Tortoise: "Am I a joke to you?"

@marcwhittle9810 10 місяців тому

In much of North America there was a a giant tortoise called Hesperotestudo crassicutata that existed from the Early Miocene until terminal Late Pleistocene or perhaps even into the Early Holocene about 9000BCE. It was more than twice the size of the Galapagos Tortoise.

@Cowboy_Cowboy Рік тому

0:55 wait THATS how you pronounce Seychelles? I’ve only ever said it in my head and I’m so glad for that now

@jamesjuggler5187 Рік тому

I know this will sound crazy but I live in Minnesota and in 1998 or 1999 I was driving through the area around fort ripely near pillager mn. Suddenly I saw a van stopped ahead of me on the side of the road so I slowed down as I got closer I could see what looked like a bear laying in the middle of the road. When I got closer I could see it was shiny and not furry. It was a giant turtle and it was the height of the wheel well of the van and twice as long. It was huge. I didn’t have a cell phone back then but I took notice of how large it was based on how close to the van it was. They say this turtle does not exist but I saw it. It looked like a box turtle in its shape and I never saw its head as it was turned away. It was awesome.

@wweturtle Рік тому

I love turtles and tortoises. This is by far my favorite pin, and I don't even have it yet.hoping I get the green one, but the rainbow one is cool too.

@ThatJaymsWisdom Рік тому

Thanks for putting the calendars on offer! I have now ordered one. When shipping to the UK was £11 on top of the £22 calendar price that seemed a bit much but now I can basically get it with free shipping (£22 all in) and that makes me very, very happy. Happy New year and much love

@kingjsolomon Рік тому

I had the honor of meeting two Galapagos tortoises at a rescue in Los Angeles. They are so sweet. So sad their numbers are so low.

@raph5122 Рік тому

In australia there's a giant tortoise called the meiolania that went extinct when we arrived there

@fishkayks Рік тому

The rare tortoise pin looks like he has a quilt for a shell, I need him ❤

@bugguyonline Рік тому

i hope you get him!

@jedinite241 Рік тому

Some good fun info thank you 😊

@armpitcat1298 Рік тому

It’s so nice too get another bizarre beast video

@brianpstern Рік тому

Loving all the anatomy visuals in this episode!!

@lollertoaster Рік тому

I'd argue to the contrary - giant tortoises are still an example of the Foster rule. Specifically, they are an example of island dwarfism.

@Exquailibur Рік тому

There are still some rather large mainland tortoises alive today like the African spurred tortoise, even leopard and gopher tortoises are somewhat large even if not as gigantic as the island species.

@bugguyonline Рік тому

IM SO HAPPY !!!!! NEW VIDEO AAAHHHH

@CharlieLynchIsRealCool Рік тому

An easy way to tell the difference between Aldabra and Galapagos tortoises is their head shapes. Aldabra Tortoises have a pointier nose, whereas Galapagos Tortoises have a head that looks more like E.T. You can remember this by remembering than an Al*Dab*ra tortoise noise looks pointy, like how your folded arm is, when you dab on 'em.

@42Fossy Рік тому

Lol thank you so much.

@ooooneeee Рік тому

Dabbing tortoises 😂

@davewalter1216 10 місяців тому

I always learn something here and something both interesting and thought provoking.

@richtygart6855 Рік тому

Thailand still has mini giant tortoises. They are nothing like the ones in this film but they can get a few feet long and stand a couple feet tall

@cobaltsteele Рік тому

This was a delightful video, thank you

@americaroleplayer Рік тому

First Bizarre Beast of 2023! I'd rate his cuddlebility 12/10, they're very big, they're good for hugging.

@juncohill Рік тому

They move like they're being puppeted.

@pandoraeeris7860 Рік тому

The Tortoise shall rise again.

@ramennoodledoodle7914 Рік тому

Great video

@em-agan Рік тому

YEA JONATHAN YEA!!!! I love him so much 💛

@decameter Рік тому

tortoises are some of my favorite reptiles. I've always wanted to own one, but knew I couldn't have a giant one to love and care for as the winter months just wouldn't allow the magnificent creature to graze outside (with food I'd provide to ensure a balanced diet) during the cold. And I just think it'd be cruel to coop up a giant beauty inside, for either of us really. So I stick with my snake, who I love dearly as well.

@peterbreis5407 Рік тому

The Komodo dragons are actually the smaller cousins of the now extinct Megalania prisca giant goanna in Australia. So rather than island gigantism they may just be a remnant smaller population of megafauna.

@jarniwoop 9 місяців тому

In a museum in Florida I saw a fossil shell of a giant tortoise from the Pleistocene.

@Lord_of_Snels 6 днів тому

2:15, Komodos are not a good example of this effect, just like the tortoises they were already massive before moving to the islands, with bones of Komodo dragons of equal size to the ones we see today being found in Australia and dated to exist 4 million years ago, far before they moved to Flores and Komodo, showing they originated in Australia and no island gigantism existed in their evolution

@adadeutsch9593 Рік тому

I like tortoises and turtles so much!

@dianewallace6064 Рік тому

Very interesting, I mean, Bizaaaaare.

@Godwinpounds4333 Рік тому

Hello 👋 how’re you doing?

@bugguyonline Рік тому

YESSSSS NEW VIDEO

@garydaniel8096 10 місяців тому

God Bless Hank. Get well soon!

@Random_sapiens Рік тому

There is no oogway -Master Accident

@bugguyonline Рік тому

i love the little pin on your shirt :3

@skuzzlebutt8825 Рік тому

best location ever!!!! we had to go for mile to find it...

@BlackyBrownDestruction9337 Рік тому

More videos of tortoises swimming please

@offdickson3062 10 місяців тому

Do you still have the pins?

@turquoisewitch.wild-owl Рік тому

I was thinking of getting the calendar, but when I clicked on it, it was still $24. Let me know if I'm supposed to do anything else to get the half-off price. Thanks.

@Godwinpounds4333 Рік тому

Hi how are you doing?

@andrew27 Рік тому

Hey how about a video about armadillos? Their armour is incredbile, I'd really like to understand more.

@BizarreBeasts Рік тому

Hank actually did do an armadillo video when this show was just part of vlogbrothers! ukposts.info/have/v-deo/oYp0jG6rq2l9yYU.html

@andrew27 Рік тому

@@BizarreBeasts ah thank you very much I must've have missed that one!

@Kapnohuxi_folium Рік тому

Seeing as the largest tortoise known (megalochelys atlas) lived in mainland Asia during the pleistocene. It's clear that tortoises (and other ectotherms) are not predestined to always live in the shadows of us endotherms. Who knows, maybe given enough time they could've grown larger than the largest mammals and non-sauropod dinosaurs out there.

@Dr.IanPlect Рік тому

(M)egalochelys atlas.

@KhalidKhan-zp5rj Рік тому

I shall wait much for new videos about tortoises ok send soon thankyou

@windlessoriginals1150 5 місяців тому

Thank you 🐢

@ashvintof1238 9 днів тому

In Mauritius. They take 100 giant turtles. From the Sechelles

@EyesOfByes Рік тому

4:17 My new indie pop rock band

@JerrBear81 Рік тому

Cloaca is one of those words that sounds like it should be used more often, but can't be due to its definition. How many conversations can the word cloaca be used in?

@nicole127x Рік тому

TIL "cloacal respiration," which means some turtles can breathe through their butts.

@Evenape Рік тому

The chicken's "butt" is a cloaca~

@LaraPosting Рік тому

Mild correction here, there were giant Australian tortoises belonging to the genus Meiolania, with the species M. platyceps reaching up to 3m in length and 1 in height

@JurassicLion2049 Рік тому

Wildlife is a trip

@a_tiny_ella Рік тому

I am very very happy after watching this

@ylhajee Рік тому

When did tortoises go extinct in most places? Are they among the megafauna that went extinct as soon as humans arrived in the area and hunted them?

@vincentx2850 Рік тому

Human expansion in the broad sense, which includes other Homo species like H. erectus, is a possible cause. Climate fluctuation is another possible cause.

@cindroman Рік тому

Please do a Muntjac 🥰

@Tigmas258 Рік тому

I love these guys they look like dinosaurs

@Apathetic_agnostic Рік тому

There were many more species of giant turtles/tortoises, prior to Homo sapiens arrival: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_tortoise

@RedK11 Рік тому

Aren't most herbivores opportunistic omnivores? Best video example being the horse eating the chick

@nomoru6451 Рік тому

One of the locations for their development could've very well had been America because this whole land was once called turtle island

@Luk844 Рік тому

With one of the most powerfull jaws and bites per square inch,that would be very interesting.

@feldar Рік тому

If a turtle's shell is part of their skeleton, does that mean that it's actually an exoskeleton?

@Dr.IanPlect Рік тому

No, the majority of the skeletal structure is still internal, they still have endoskeletons.

@AccidentalNinja Рік тому

Shoulder blades inside the rib cage is wild.

@Jaze2022 Рік тому

Must be a different time when giant lumbering beasts can thrive. Maybe a bunch of smart monkeys noticed they were easy pickings

@BrandonLee-ig1qg Рік тому

Breeding programs to conserve the species would be beneficial

@PureVikingPowers 6 місяців тому

Does fosters rule work on spiders? I don't want us to discover a 1 meter huge spider

@stanleytandiono4857 Рік тому

Connor aka cdawgva would love to see this vid

@terolix Рік тому

Dang it I missed the pin 😭

@royhay5741 Рік тому

Australasia once had giant tortoises called horned turtles

@michellegutierrez2119 Місяць тому

Beautiful turtles they look like dinosaurs 🦖… with a shell 🐚 on them and a tail on them to show them off 😝 🐢…..

@stax6092 Рік тому

Awesome.

@michaelgarrow3239 Рік тому

Trilobites!!! The world was covered in Trilobites for hundreds of millions of years. 👽

@PureVikingPowers 6 місяців тому

This remind me of the episode on The Boys when they killed translucent and stuck TNT in his but like a turtle cause he was invincible

@MarshaNPILoveCanada Рік тому

*Go Indonesia!!* From Bandung, Indonesia

@maya-gur695 Рік тому

Turtle and tortoises are some of my favorite animals!

@parkerpshebnisky1051 Рік тому

The giant tortoise is like a living Dinosaur!

@finalmage6 Рік тому

I must once again campaign for a video on Flying Squirrels! Seriously bizarre little beasts.

@DoktorSpakur Рік тому

UKposts commercials just keep getting longer and longer and louder and louder

@KhalidKhan-zp5rj Рік тому

Send with in two days thankyou

@nickh.isalldamgenocntrol4444 Рік тому

Don’t forget about the tiny Deer in the keys

@BizarreBeasts Рік тому

Would you like your own giant tortoise pin?! Join the pin club today at store.dftba.com/collections/bizarrebeasts/products/bizarre-beasts-pin-subscription-1

@wightbear6501 Рік тому

Hi! I'm in the pin club and would LOVE for you to cover Vulture Bees, they feed off meat and I've heard their meat-honey is edible!? Please explain 😂

@edwardfletcher7790 Рік тому

Australia had Giant tortoises, just not in human history.

@isaacsutton1162 Рік тому

PLEASE GOD ALL I WANT IS THIS PINK TORT PIN PLEASE

@raphlvlogs271 Рік тому

this video can also be titled tortoises used to be much bigger

@bugguyonline Рік тому

i sadly havent gotten my worm pin yet but im hoping i get it soon and that i get the tortoise too! international beasties have it hard haha

@ThatJaymsWisdom Рік тому

I'm in the UK and my worm pin arrived yesterday so I am sure yours is imminent! It's a cute little guy!

@darrenhawley8626 9 місяців тому

When did Rodriguez island giant tortoises become extinct?

@68corvette08 Рік тому

She sells Seychelles by the seashore. Lol.

@Antechynus Рік тому

Being slow moving and delicious was not a good evolutionary trait.

@silenttakuza Рік тому

Baby birds can't catch a break.

@smartacus88 Рік тому

It must have been so lovely to be the 1st human to set foot in places like the Galapagos, Seychelles, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Easter Island, etc. I wish the world was bigger, so I could go find my own tropical island. I don't like living with all of you.