After an absence of over 180 years, giant tortoises have made a remarkable comeback on Floreana Island in the Galápagos archipelago of Ecuador. A group of 158 juvenile hybrids were recently released onto the island by scientists and local park rangers through a captive breeding program that began in 2017. In the 1840s, the Floreana tortoise population faced extinction on the southernmost island of the archipelago due to activities like whaling, a devastating fire, and human exploitation.
James Gibbs, a conservation biologist at the Galápagos Conservancy, likened the event to watching his own children take their first steps. The young tortoises, expected to reach weights of up to 600 pounds in the next couple of decades, are part of a larger plan to gradually introduce 700 tortoises to Floreana. These juveniles carry a significant genetic resemblance to the extinct Floreana species, with geneticist Christina Sevilla noting they possess between 40% to 80% of the original species’ genetic makeup.
Washington Tapia, a biologist and director of Biodiversa-Consultores specializing in the Galapagos, emphasized the importance of reintroducing a species with a strong genetic connection to the original inhabitants. The reintroduction effort aims not only to boost the tortoise population but also to revive a lost lineage on the island.
The newly arrived tortoises, aged between eight and 13 years and weighing 30 to 50 pounds, are expected to play a crucial role in restoring Floreana’s ecosystem over time, given their potential lifespan of more than a century. The release process was a meticulous operation, with park rangers carrying the juvenile tortoises on their backs up the slopes of the island before setting them free in designated release sites.
Despite sharing the island with around 200 human residents and various wildlife such as flamingos, iguanas, and penguins, the tortoises face challenges from non-native species like rats, cats, and pigs introduced by humans. To monitor their movements and ensure their safety, each tortoise has been equipped with GPS trackers for real-time tracking by researchers.
While the team will continue to observe and support the tortoises, the hope is that these resilient creatures will adapt and thrive in their new environment, contributing to the conservation efforts on Floreana Island.