More than a century after disappearing from Floreana Island, in the Ecuadorian archipelago of Galápagos, the descendants of giant tortoises returned to roam the territory of their ancestors. In February 2026, 158 hatchlings were released on the island as part of a project to recover this population, marking the historic return of these turtles to the region.
The history of this local extinction dates back to the 16th century, when pirates and, later, whalers began arriving at the archipelago. Hundreds of tortoises were captured because they could survive months without water or food, allowing crews to keep them alive as a source of meat during their long sea voyages.
The arrival of non-native animals significantly worsened the tortoises' survival problem. Rats, pigs, and other species introduced by humans affected the eggs and hatchlings of the giant tortoises, contributing to the disappearance of the species from Floreana Island more than 100 years ago.
