Two hundred years ago, giant tortoises lived on Floreana Island in Ecuador’s famous Galápagos Islands. But in the 1800s, many of them were hunted by people and the species disappeared from the island.
Now, the tortoises are finally returning.
Bringing tortoises back
Nearly 160 young giant tortoises have recently been released on Floreana Island. These tortoises are descendants of the ones that once lived there long ago.
Scientists have been working on this project for many years.
How did scientists do it?
In 2008, researchers discovered tortoises on a nearby island called Isabela Island that had some ancestry from the original Floreana tortoises.
Using these tortoises, scientists carefully bred new tortoises that are very similar to the ones that once lived on Floreana.
The young tortoises were raised in protected environments and then released into the wild.
A hopeful return
Scientists hope these tortoises will grow and help restore the island’s natural environment.
This project shows how careful scientific work can help bring back animals that once disappeared from a place.
Photo Credits: Craig Lovell
