VIDEO: New species of giant tortoise identified on Galapagos Islands

A new species of giant tortoise has been identified in the Galapagos Islands.

Scientists used genetic data to determine that a group of 250 of the slow-moving grazing reptiles was distinct from other tortoise species residing in the Pacific archipelago.

The newly identified species lives in a 40-square-kilometre area of Santa Cruz Island and is as different genetically from the other giant tortoise species on the island as species from other islands.