158 Floreana-Lineage Giant Tortoises Return to Galápagos Island After More Than 180 Years
On 20 February 2026, partners released 158 juvenile giant tortoises of Floreana lineage onto Floreana Island, the first return in more than 180 years, as part of a multi-decade ecological restoration project.
Just News Desk, Correspondent||2 min read
FLOREANA ISLAND, Galápagos - On 20 February 2026, 158 juvenile giant tortoises of Floreana lineage were released into their ancestral habitat on Floreana Island, the first such return in more than 180 years, according to the Charles Darwin Foundation, Galápagos Conservancy, and Island Conservation.
The release is part of the Floreana Ecological Restoration Project, led by Ecuador's Ministry of Environment and Mines through the Galápagos National Park Directorate and the Galápagos Biosecurity and Quarantine Agency, and co-executed by Fundación Jocotoco, the Charles Darwin Foundation, and Island Conservation, with Galápagos Conservancy supporting the tortoise reintroduction.
No verified individuals of the original extinct Floreana tortoise species remain. The animals released are hybrids descended from the extinct Floreana lineage and a closely related population, Galápagos Conservancy's Dr James Gibbs wrote. Partners say the hybrids retain much of the original genome and can restore the tortoises' ecological role as seed dispersers and ecosystem engineers, even if they will not exactly replicate the historical form.
For the first time in more than 180 years, giant tortoises roam Floreana Island once again. Credit: Galápagos Conservancy (image published with Dr James Gibbs' 20 February 2026 essay). Photographer not named on the page. Source page: https://www.galapagos.org/newsroom/gibbs-on-floreana-tortoise/
Breeding began after genetic work confirmed Floreana ancestry in hybrid tortoises found on Wolf Volcano, Isabela. Juveniles were raised for about 12 to 14 years before release, timed with the rainy season. Each carries a lightweight GPS transmitter for monitoring. Partners plan additional releases of roughly 25 to 100 tortoises per year toward a self-sustaining population. The tortoise return is the flagship of 12 planned native-species restorations for Floreana, which has about 160 residents.
Floreana giant tortoises being measured before their release. Photo credit: Jocotoco. Source page: https://www.islandconservation.org/floreana-tortoise-release/
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- environment
- conservation
- galapagos
- biodiversity
- tortoises
