Page 11 - Tracking Tortoises: The Mission to Save a Galápagos Giant

GLossary

antibiotics: a wide range of medicines that fight bacterial habitat: the natural home of a living organism
infections hormone: chemical messengers produced by living things to

archipelago: a group, or chain, of islands regulate body functions and behavior
biodiversity: the variety of life in a particular ecosystem incubate: to bring eggs to a certain temperature so they develop
climate: the average daily weather over an extended period invasive species: non-native organisms that are introduced to an
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA): the molecule that carries genetic ecosystem, likely causing harm
instructions for living things keystone species: a species that other species depend on within
ecosystem: a community of living organisms interacting with their an ecosystem
environment migration: the seasonal movement of animals from one area to
endangered: in danger of becoming extinct another
endemic: native to and living only in a certain place natural selection: the process by which organisms that are best
suited to their environment tend to survive and produce more
eradicate: to eliminate, or get rid of offspring
evolution: the process by which living things change over time as a organism: any living thing, such as plants, animals, and
result of inherited traits single-celled organisms
extinct: no longer in existence as a species pathogen: a microorganism that can cause disease
gene: a segment of DNA that carries the code for a particular trait predator: an animal that kills and eats other animals
GPS: global positioning system, a technology that uses satellites to trait: a characteristic influenced by an organism’s genes
provide a user’s geographic location

sOURCe Notes

The primary narrative of this book is based on my field visits and ecology and the Galápagos ecosystems, and these are cited in the
interviews with Stephen Blake, Freddy Cabrera, Sharon Deem, Ainoa bibliography.
Nieto Claudin, Irene Peña, Gabriel Salas Sanchez, and Diego Ellis Soto 17 De Berlanga, Fray Thomás. “A Letter to His Majesty, from Tomás
in the Galápagos Islands during the summer of 2019. We conducted de Berlanga, Describing His Voyage from Panamá to Puerto
Skype and email interviews as well, and unless otherwise noted, all Viejo, and the Hardships He Encountered in His Navigation,
quotes are from these interviews and field visits.
April 26, 1535.” Galapagos.to. Accessed January 23, 2019. http://
Additionally, I’ve made use of multiple reference works and papers www.galapagos.to/TEXTS/BERLANGA.HTM.
published by other researchers and experts in the field of tortoise

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