Giant Tortoises Return to Gal?pagos Island After Nearly 2 Centuries   

• After disappearing for more than 180 years, the Floreana giant tortoise is once again lumbering across its ancestral island in the Gal?pagos. The giant tortoise subspecies native to Floreana, Chelonoidis niger niger, was wiped out in the 1840s by whalers who harvested thousands of the slow-moving reptiles as a reliable food source during long voyages. Yet the lineage endured unexpectedly, as some tortoises left on other islands or tossed overboard survived and produced descendants. In 2008, scientists identified tortoises on Wolf Volcano on Isabela Island with genetic ties to the lost Floreana population, including individuals with the distinctive saddleback shell. A captive “back breeding” program began in 2017, selecting 23 hybrids with the closest ancestry. By 2025, more than 600 hatchlings had been born. Now, 158 juveniles have been released on Floreana, marking a milestone in the archipelago’s largest restoration effort. The return follows an invasive species eradication campaign that removed most rats and feral cats, clearing the way for recovery. Native wildlife, including the Gal?pagos rail, has since rebounded. Described as a keystone species and “ecosystem engineers” by researchers, giant tortoises help maintain habitats that sustain the island’s biodiversity and community livelihoods through grazing and dispersing seeds. Yesel Kang Copy Editor junior/1773909290/1613367813