By: Jordan Park

Website Manager

More than a century after they disappeared, Galápagos giant tortoises are finally returning to the islands. Due to the efforts of the Floreana Ecological Restoration Project led by the Galápagos National Park Directorate, a species that has been gone from the islands since 1850 is back.  

In late February, rangers from the Galápagos National Park carefully released 50 young tortoises onto Forena Island, marking the beginning of what conservationists hope will be a historic comeback. The tortoises carried out of crates and placed on dry ground may not look like giants yet, as they are only between seven and 15 years old and weigh about ten to 40 pounds. One day, however, they could grow into the massive, slow-moving creatures that once shaped the island’s ecosystem. The released tortoises are not pure descendants of the original Floreana species, but hybrids carrying genes from the now-extinct Floreana tortoise and lineages of tortoises found on Wolf Volcano on nearby Isabela Island. Some of these even carry genetic traces of species from the Santiago and Española islands. Scientists discovered hidden genetic links between the species in 2008, when researchers working on Wolf Volcano found tortoises with ancestry tied to the Floreana population. That surprising discovery sparked a major conservation effort. In 2017, scientists launched a back-breeding program designed to gradually recover as much of the Floreana tortoise lineage as possible. Researchers selected 23 hybrid tortoises with the strongest genetic connection and began breeding them in captivity on Santa Cruz Island. Since then, the program has produced hundreds of hatchlings, with many now large enough to survive in the wild. 

Bringing tortoises back required more than just breeding them. For decades, anthropologically introduced invasive species have damaged the island’s ecosystem. Goats, rats, and feral cats devastated native plants and animals, making it impossible for tortoises to survive. Rangers spent years working to remove these species and restore the island’s native habitats. This effort is part of the larger Floreana Ecological Restoration project. The project included everything from invasive species removal to mapping plant recovery, managing land use, and addressing conflicts between conservation efforts and the island’s residents. The return of the tortoises is also an essential step in restoring the island because these animals play a major role in shaping their environment. As giant tortoises move across the island, they disperse seeds, clear pathways through vegetation, and help maintain a balance of plant life. 

This is a significant accomplishment not only for the area but also for island restoration efforts around the world, and, hopefully, if the program succeeds, one of the Galápagos’ most famous animals will roam the island again. 

(Sources: BBC, National Geographic)