For the first time in nearly two centuries, giant tortoises are once again roaming Floreana Island in the Galápagos — a conservation milestone more than a decade in the making.
Early settlers on Floreana altered the landscape and hunted the Floreana giant tortoise (Chelonoidis niger niger) into extinction about 180 years ago. But while working on Wolf Volcano, roughly 180 kilometers away on Isabela Island, researchers noticed something unexpected.
A DNA Detective Story
"The tortoises seemed different," said Penny Becker, CEO of Island Conservation. "They looked different and they were behaving differently."
DNA samples from those Wolf Volcano tortoises were compared with DNA from tortoise bones found in caves on Floreana. The match was remarkable — strong Floreana genetics had survived in this distant population, likely transported there centuries ago by whaling ships or ocean currents.
156 Tortoises Come Home
Scientists launched a careful breeding program using the Wolf Volcano tortoises. On February 20, 2026, with support from local residents and a consortium of conservation partners, 156 endangered tortoises between 10 and 13 years old were released on Floreana.
They'll reach sexual maturity at roughly 25 years old, so building a self-sustaining population will take time — but the foundation is laid.
Ecosystem Engineers at Work
Giant tortoises are keystone species and critical ecosystem engineers. Their impacts on Floreana could be transformative:
- 🌱 Dispersing seeds across the island
- 🌿 Shaping vegetation patterns
- 💧 Creating micro-habitats through their wallows
- 🔄 Rebuilding ecological processes other species depend on
"We're going to adaptively manage things as we go along to ensure that it's successful," said Becker.
Source: Galápagos Conservancy / Mongabay, February 2026