Tracking Tortoises: The Mission to Save a Gal pagos Giant

by Kate Messner, Jake Messner (Photographer)

Overview

Galápagos giant tortoises are fascinating—and endangered. They live only on the Galápagos Islands, a chain of volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Ecuador. These tortoises face threats from the humans who live on—and visit—the islands, as well as from Earth's warming climate.

Join author Kate Messner on an a journey to the Galápagos Islands to see these incredible creatures up close and discover how cutting-edge technology is helping scientists to study and protect them. Page Plus QR codes in the book lead to videos of scientists at work in the field.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781541596115
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	09/07/2021
Pages:	64
Product dimensions:	10.87(w) x 8.98(h) x 0.39(d)
Lexile:	1110L (what's this?)
Age Range:	10 - 11 Years

About the Author

Kate Messner is passionately curious and writes books that encourage kids to wonder, too. Her titles include award-winning picture books, easy readers, chapter books, nonfiction, and novels. A former teacher, Kate lives in upstate New York with her family and is trying to summit all 46 Adirondack High Peaks in between book deadlines.

Editorial Reviews

"Messner smoothly introduces her readers to the formation and population of this famous archipelago . . . Science at work in a unique setting."—starred, Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

08/01/2021

Gr 4–9—Messner delves into the work of the Galápagos Tortoise Movement Ecology Programme by painting a vivid picture of not only the giant tortoises of these unique islands but also of the scientists who study animals that will outlive them. Beginning with theories on how the tortoises arrived on the volcanic islands and progressing to the challenges posed by increased farming, tourism, and climate change, the author explains the uniqueness of these amazing creatures and the enthusiasm of the people who work every day to ensure their survival. Male and female scientists and assistants from a variety of countries (the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, and Ecuador) are represented. Messner never talks down to her audience, describing historical horrors and modern realities in unflinching but age-appropriate ways, and seamlessly defining unfamiliar terms in the same sentence in which they are introduced. QR codes that take readers to videos of the scientists in action supplement engaging sidebars, full-color photographs, and helpful maps and illustrations. Readers are encouraged to head to movebank.org to track the migration of individual tortoises as well as to "join the tortoise team" by raising money for further GPS tracking or for supporting the crucial hatchling work that boosts tortoise survival. A "Tortoise Timeline," glossary, comprehensive source notes, further reading, and an index round out the additional features that make this work accessible. VERDICT Highly recommended for libraries and science classrooms with budding naturalists.—Courtney Lewis, St. Catherine's Sch., Richmond, VA

School Library Journal

★ 2021-07-27
Science researchers work to understand and save the endangered Galápagos tortoises.

The heart of this title by the author of Tracking Pythons (2020) is a vivid account of what she and her photographer son learned on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Galápagos Islands in 2019. They accompanied researchers on the island of Santa Cruz who track tortoises using tags, radio trackers, and a lot of challenging hiking. On this island, tortoises migrate from the lowlands to the highlands; scientists investigate why. The Messners visited the Charles Darwin Research Station, where baby tortoises from many different islands are raised to support the dwindling population and where lab scientists compare the DNA of tortoises from both Santa Cruz and Isla Isabela, looking at viruses and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Research, repopulation, education, and conservation efforts all can help restore and save a dwindling population threatened by both humans and climate change. While describing these efforts, author Messner smoothly introduces her readers to the formation and population of this famous archipelago, the way natural selection has played out in those long-isolated islands, the concept of a keystone species, a local field researcher, and the work of scientists both in the lab and in the field. Sidebars and plentiful pictures of the scenery, wildlife, scientists at work, and even, occasionally, the visiting writer break up the text and help readers share their experience.

Science at work in a unique setting. (timeline, glossary, source notes, bibliography, further reading, index) (Nonfiction. 9-14)

Kirkus Reviews