Resurrecting the Floreana Giant Tortoise

By Teresa Sun Apr 1, 2026

Once silent and stripped of their most iconic residents, the volcanic slopes of Floreana Island in the Galápagos are alive once again with a slow, heavy rhythm. For nearly two centuries, the Floreana giant tortoise was a species existing only in sketches and bleached shells. That changed on Feb. 20, when a cohort of 158 juvenile tortoises was released back into their ancestral home, marking the first tread of their leathery feet on basalt rock in generations.

Krio Moon Art

The Floreana giant tortoise was driven to extinction by the mid-19th century due to intense human activity. Once numbering over 20,000, the population was decimated by whalers and buccaneers, who captured thousands of tortoises to store on ships. Since the animals could survive for months without food or water, they served as a primary source of fresh meat during long voyages. The human impact didn't end with hunting settlers intentionally introduced nonnative species such as goats and pigs to the island to establish a food source for their colonies. At the same time, rats accidentally stowed away on ships. These animals outcompeted the tortoises for vegetation and preyed upon tortoise eggs and hatchlings, eradicating the native population. By the mid-1800s, the species was declared extinct.

While the pure species was lost, its genetic traits survived in hybrids on Wolf Volcano on Isabela Island, as the DNA was passed down through mixed-breeding with other tortoise species. This happened because 19th century sailors, who kept tortoises on ships for food, often dumped extra tortoises overboard to lighten their ships for the journey home. Some of these discarded tortoises-originally from Floreana-bred with the local population, passing down their DNA, which was then traced by scientists through genetic testing.

"Instead of prioritizing the revival of extinct species through the use of degraded or potentially compromised DNA, we should focus our efforts on protecting existing ecosystems. It is far more important to get people and communities to care about conservation rather than trying to manufacture what has already been lost," Jessica Paulsen, Science Department, said.

In 2017, the Galápagos National Park and the Galápagos Conservancy launched The Floreana Ecological Restoration Project, a $12 million effort funded by a coalition between the Ecuadorian government and international non-government organizations (NGOs). Scientists identified 23 tortoises with high levels of Floreana DNA and selectively bred them to concentrate the lost genetic markers. According to the Galapagos Conservation Trust, this program has successfully raised over 700 hybrid tortoises, 158 of which were released into the wild on Feb. 20. Aged 8 to 13 years, these juveniles are considered old enough to withstand the island's volcanic terrain and dry seasons.

The project also benefited the local community by including the mass eradication of invasive rodents and cats in late 2023 to prepare for the tortoises return. An impact report by the NGO Island Conservation documented that harvests for local farmers improved significantly following the removal of the rat population, which had previously decimated crops. Additionally, the project built 16 hen houses, nine poultry houses and seven stables to protect community livestock.

The return of these tortoises is more than a conservation milestone; it is a restoration of a keystone species. As the island's largest herbivores, the tortoises play a foundational role in the ecosystem. They consume native fruits and disperse seeds across the island through their waste, thereby planting the next generation of forests. Additionally, their grazing prevents the overgrowth of dense thickets, maintaining the open habitats required by other endemic species such as the Galápagos lava lizard.

"While this recovery is incredible, it cannot perfectly replicate the past—it is far better to safeguard a keystone species than spend decades trying to bring one back. We must focus on prevention over intervention by implementing stricter environmental legislations to protect habitats from exploitation,* Junior Kavin Kwak said.

The success reflects a growing global movement of ecological restoration, including the return of jaguars to Argentina's Iberá Wetlands and the recovery of the Saiga antelope in Kazakhstan. For centuries, humans footprint on the archipelago was one of extraction and imbalance. However, this collective effort powered by millions of dollars and a decade of genetic research- demonstrates that humans can take direct responsibility for the damage they have caused.

While the past cannot be changed, the introduction of the hybrid tortoise helps restore the ecological functions that allow nature to heal. The long-term success of such restoration efforts depends on what comes next- and whether each generation chooses to carry forward the conservation work that made the return of the tortoises possible in the first place.

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About the Contributors

Teresa Sun

page editor

Teresa Sun is a junior at Leland High School and the Front Page and Lifestyle page editor for the Charger Account. She spends most of her time at the dance studio practicing for competitions or locked in her room playing the violin and doing homework, but can be occasionally spotted hanging out with friends at the mall.

Krio Moon

artist

Krio Moon is a junior at Leland and an artist for The Charger Account. Outside of school, she likes to play tennis, watch superhero movies, and read books.