Giant Tortoises Return To Galápagos Island After Centuries
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On February 20, 2026, conservation teams released 158 young giant tortoises on Floreana Island in the Galápagos. This historic milestone marked the first step in restoring a species that disappeared from the island in the 1800s.
Park staff carried the young tortoises in crates. They walked several miles over rocky, volcanic ground to special release sites. These sites were carefully chosen to ensure the tortoises would have access to food and water, as well as safe areas for nesting. Before release, each tortoise was fitted with a microchip. This will allow scientists to monitor them in the wild.
Floreana Island was once home to hundreds of Floreana giant tortoises. But the animals were hunted down by early settlers. Invasive animals such as pigs and rats further reduced their population by eating the eggs and hatchlings. By the late 1800s, there were no tortoises left on the island.
In 2000, researchers surveying giant tortoise population on the nearby Isabela Island made a surprising discovery. Some of the tortoises there carried traits of the original Floreana species. These animals became the starting point for a long-term effort to bring the species back.
By 2017, the scientists had found enough individuals whose DNA closely matched the Floreana species. They began a focused breeding effort, which produced hundreds of offspring. Many grew large enough to survive in the wild. This made it possible for tortoises to return to Floreana for the first time in nearly two centuries.
Giant tortoises play an important role in the Floreana ecosystem. As they graze, they clear vegetation, open paths through dense brush, and spread seeds that allow plants to grow. Their return could help the island's environment recover after nearly 200 years.
Resources: Smithsonianmag.com, NASA.gov, Galapagos.org
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78 Comments
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