Overview: The Galapagos : island home of giant tortoises / Galapagos tortoises : protagonists in the spectacle of life on Earth

History of human-tortoise interactions: Human perceptions of Galapagos tortoises through history / The era of exploitation : 1535-1959 / Darwin and the Galapagos giant tortoises / The collectors : beginnings of scientific inquiry and the lasting impacts of living and museum collections

Natural history: Evolution and phylogenetics / Morphology / Reproduction / Thermoregulation / Diet, behavior, and activity patterns / Population biology / Movement ecology / Habitats / Role in ecoystems / Galapagos tortoises in a changing climate

Conservation : slow rescue from near destruction: The history of Galapagos tortoise conservation / Tortoise health / Invasive species : impats, control, and eradication / Tortoise populations after 60 years of conservation

Restoration case studies: Espanola Island : from near extinction to recovery / Pinzon Island : a century of zero tortoise hatchlings to a growing population / Floreana and Pinta Islands : restoring tortoise populations through lost lineage recovery / Santa Fe Island return of tortoises via a replacement species

Into the future: Beyond rescue to full recovery