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February 20, 2026

Floreana giant tortoise reintroduced to Galápagos island after almost 200 years

Subspecies driven to extinction by hungry whalers returns after ‘back breeding’ programme using partial descendants

Floreana giant tortoise reintroduced to Galápagos island after almost 200 years

TL;DR

  • Giant tortoises have been reintroduced to Floreana Island after an absence of over 180 years.
  • The Floreana giant tortoise subspecies (*Chelonoidis niger niger*) was driven to extinction in the 1840s by whalers.
  • 158 juvenile tortoises, genetically linked to the Floreana subspecies, have been returned to the island.
  • The tortoises were recreated through a "back breeding" program using a relic population found on Wolf volcano, Isabela Island.
  • The reintroduction is part of the Floreana Ecological Restoration Project, which includes invasive species eradication.
  • The return of the tortoises is expected to help restore the island's ecosystems and benefit other native species.
  • Invasive species like rats and feral cats had previously wiped out much of Floreana's native fauna and flora.

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