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Galápagos park releases 158 juvenile hybrid tortoises on Floreana to restore the ecosystem
The release marks a key milestone in a decade-long restoration, with tortoises carrying 40%-80% of the original Floreana genetic lineage, aiding ecosystem recovery.
- On Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, the Galápagos National Park released 158 juvenile hybrid tortoises aged 8 to 13 on Floreana Island, timed with the season's first winter rains.
- Historic drivers like whaling, fire and exploitation wiped out approximately 20,000 giant tortoises on Floreana two centuries ago, and Washington Tapia said the reintroduction aims to restore a lost lineage.
- Genetic analysis shows these hybrids trace to Wolf Volcano on Isabela Island, carry 40%–80% Chelonoidis niger DNA, and park breeders selected strong adults to resist introduced predators like rats and cats.
- The released tortoises will share territory with nearly 200 residents and native species while facing threats from introduced blackberry, guava, rats, cats, pigs, and donkeys as part of a 700 planned specimens program.
- Residents welcomed the release, calling it a `dream come true`, as the Galápagos Islands are a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site roughly 1,000 kilometers from the mainland.
62 Articles
62 Articles
Reptiles with a genetic profile very close to the endemic species have been sent to Floreana Island. The fragile ecosystem of this Pacific archipelago is part of the world heritage of humanity.
150 Giant Turtles Are Reintroduced on Island From Where They Had Disappeared More than a Century Ago
Quito, Ecuador. Scientists and park rangers reintroduced some 150 giant tortoises to Floreana Island, located in the Galápagos archipelago, where they disappeared more than a century ago, Ecuador's Ministry of Environment reported Friday. The released tortoises came from the breeding center of the Galápagos National Park (PNG). They are a hybrid tortoise species with a high genetic load of Chelonoidis niger, native to Isabela Island, the ministr…
158 Giant Endangered Tortoises Released on Galápagos Island Where They’d Been Extinct for 180 Years
For the first time in over 180 years, a giant tortoise population is once again walking the landscapes of Floreana Island—launching the largest restoration effort ever undertaken on the Galápagos islands. 158 juvenile giant tortoises of Floreana lineage were released his week into their ancestral habitat, marking a historic milestone for the archipelago. Driven to […] The post 158 Giant Endangered Tortoises Released on Galápagos Island Where The…
Galapagos park releases 158 juvenile hybrid tortoises on Floreana to restore the ecosystem
Nearly 150 years after the last giant tortoises were removed from Floreana Island in Ecuador's Galapagos archipelago, the species made a comeback Friday, when dozens of juvenile hybrids were released to begin restoring the island's depleted ecosystem.
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