Giant Tortoises Return to Floreana Island After Two-Century Extinction

Giant tortoises have begun traversing Floreana Island in the Galápagos archipelago, marking their reappearance nearly two centuries after local extinction attributed to 19th-century whaling activities. On February 20, 2026, a group of 158 juvenile tortoises, specifically bred to represent the Floreana lineage, were released into their historic habitat. This repatriation is a significant milestone within the broader Floreana Ecological Restoration Project, an initiative jointly led by the Galápagos National Park Directorate and conservation partners, including the Charles Darwin Foundation and Island Conservation.

The reintroduction represents the flagship component of a planned sequence of 12 species restorations slated for Floreana as ecological conditions allow. This successful release follows more than two decades of focused scientific work, which began in 2008 with the discovery of a remnant population on the slopes of Wolf volcano on Isabela Island. Genetic analysis by researchers from Yale University later confirmed these tortoises carried partial Floreana subspecies genes, likely introduced historically by whalers moving tortoises between islands.

This genetic finding formed the basis for a captive 'back breeding' program initiated in 2017, where 23 hybrid tortoises genetically closest to the extinct subspecies were selectively paired. By 2025, this process yielded over 600 hatchlings, with several hundred reaching a size deemed robust enough for return to Floreana by February 2026. The juveniles released were aged between 8 and 13 years and had been monitored until they reached a size considered safe from current environmental threats.

The return of these tortoises is considered ecologically foundational, as they function as keystone species and ecosystem engineers critical to the island's health. Their activities—grazing, dispersing seeds across the volcanic landscape, and creating wallows—shape plant communities and influence vegetation distribution, processes that have been absent for almost 200 years. Rakan Zahawi, executive director of the Charles Darwin Foundation, noted that this activity aids in rebuilding ecological processes upon which many other species depend.

This reintroduction was contingent upon a prerequisite invasive species eradication program, which commenced in late 2023 after twelve years of operational planning. This comprehensive effort targeted the removal of non-native rats and feral cats, which had negatively impacted native fauna since human settlement began around 1832. The success of this initial phase has already led to the rediscovery of the Galapagos rail on Floreana after a 190-year absence.

The entire Floreana Ecological Restoration Project, which also includes infrastructure improvements for the island’s approximately 160 residents, is structured as a long-term strategy extending through 2030. Hugo Mogollón, President and CEO of Galápagos Conservancy, stated that this scientific foundation prepares the way for the future reintroduction of additional extirpated species, such as the Floreana mockingbird and the Floreana racer snake. The release sites for the 158 juveniles were selected using NASA satellite data to optimize conditions for their long-term survival, positioning the project as a global model for restoring inhabited islands facing similar pressures.