Floreana tortoises return to Galápagos island after 180 years

Scientists and park rangers released 158 juvenile hybrid giant tortoises on Floreana Island, the first tortoises there in more than 180 years; the animals carry roughly 40–80% of the extinct Floreana species' genetics and will be tracked with GPS as part of a larger reintroduction program.

Scientists and park rangers recently released 158 juvenile hybrid giant tortoises on Floreana Island in the Galápagos, marking the first time tortoises have roamed that island in more than 180 years. The juveniles come from a captive back-breeding program that began in 2017. Whalers, a major fire and prolonged human exploitation contributed to the Floreana tortoise's extinction in the 1840s. The release is part of a broader plan to return tortoises to the island over several years. Key facts: - 158 juvenile hybrids, aged eight to 13 and weighing about 30–50 pounds each, were released last week. - Officials say the juveniles carry an estimated 40% to 80% of the genetic makeup of Chelonoidis niger, the extinct Floreana tortoise. - The reintroduction effort is part of a program that plans to release about 700 tortoises gradually on Floreana. - Teams placed 50 tortoises in a drier lowland area and 108 in slightly moister highlands to help them find suitable foliage and water. - Each tortoise has a small GPS tracker that can transmit for roughly 10 years so researchers can monitor movements and settlement. - The island is home to about 200 people and native species such as flamingos and iguanas, and faces non-native predators and plants introduced by humans. Summary: The release restores tortoises to Floreana for the first time in over a century and aims to rebuild a lost genetic lineage while supporting long-term ecosystem recovery. Researchers plan gradual additional releases toward a target of about 700 tortoises and will continue monitoring the released juveniles with GPS to observe how they settle and move across the island.