Galapagos tortoises prefer to munch on invasive plants over those that grow naturally on the island, which could help keep the growth of the former under control, said new research.

"Biodiversity conservation is a huge problem confronting managers on the Galapagos Islands", said study author Stephen Blake, an honorary research scientist at Washington University in St. Louis.

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"Eradicating the more than 750 species of invasive plants is all but impossible and even control is difficult. Fortunately, tortoise conservation seems to be compatible with the presence of some introduced species".

Previous studies using GPS devices show Santa Cruz tortoises migrate seasonally between the lowlands to the highlands during the dry season.

Researchers conducted their study on the island of Santa Cruz, a dormant volcano home to two species of giant tortoise and the biggest human population in the Galapagos. Farmers have adapted most of the highland moist zones to farming and at least 86 percent of the highlands and other moist zones are now deteriorated by either farming or invasive species.

Researchers said they were surprised since large Galapagos tortoises can survive for a year without eating and drinking.

For four years, the researchers followed the tortoises in the field. They recorded everything the tortoises ate during 10-minute "focal observations".

As an additional gauge of the fruits the tortoises were consuming, the researchers also counted and recognized seeds in tortoise dung. The findings showed the tortoises tended to choose introduced plants over local ones.

The team also calculated the health of the tortoises and concluded the invasive plants may actually help them through the dry season.

The new study appeared in the journal Biotropica.

TagsScientists Reveal Tortoises Choose to Eat Invasive Plants, Galapagos tortoises, Galapagos, tortoises, Biodiversity conservation, Biodiversity, animal conservation