Giant tortoises return to Gal‡pagos island

Giant tortoises are roaming the Gal‡pagos island of Floreana
for the first time in more than 180 years, in what conservationists
have called a Òhugely significant milestoneÓ

GIANT TORTOISE TIMELINE

1840s: FloreanaÕs
native species,
Chelonoidis niger
niger, driven to
extinction due to
overexploitation by
sailors and settlers

2008: Scientists
discover tortoises
carrying Floreana
ancestry on Wolf
Volcano on Isabela
Island

2017: Researchers select 23
hybrid tortoises with closest genetic
links to extinct subspecies for
captive back-breeding programme
on Santa Cruz Island

By 2025: Programme
produces more than
600 hatchlings

Feb 2026: 158
tortoises aged between
10 and 13 years old
released on Floreana.
They will reach sexual
maturity at roughly 25
years, so building self-
sustaining population
will take time

GALçPAGOS IS.
(ECUADOR)
Floreana Island
Isabela Island
Santa Cruz
Island
San Crist—bal
Island
Santiago Island
Wolf Volcano
50km
30 miles

ECUADOR
PACIFIC
OCEAN
Gal‡pagos
Islands
1,000km
625 miles

Sources: BBC, Mongabay
Picture: Needpix
© GRAPHIC NEWS