Summary
Giant tortoises have been reintroduced to Floreana Island in the Galápagos for the first time in over 180 years. This effort is part of a conservation project to restore the island's ecosystem after the native tortoises were driven to extinction in the 1840s.
Key Facts
- 158 juvenile giant tortoises were released on Floreana Island.
- The project is led by the Galápagos National Park Directorate.
- Floreana's original tortoise species went extinct due to sailors taking them for food.
- The reintroduction began after a breeding program found tortoises with Floreana ancestry on Isabela Island.
- By 2025, over 600 hatchlings had been bred, and many are now big enough to live in the wild.
- Giant tortoises help restore ecosystems because they change the landscape through their activities.
