Charles Darwin Foundation 37d ago

After more than 180 years, giant tortoises walk on Floreana Island once again. 🐢🌿 The release of 158 juvenile tortoises of Floreana lineage marks a historic step in one of the most ambitious ecological restoration efforts ever undertaken in Galapagos. Once driven to extinction by human activity, these tortoises are now returning home thanks to decades of genetic research, conservation breeding, and collaboration between scientists, institutions, and the local community. 🌎 As ecosystem engineers, giant tortoises help restore habitats, disperse seeds, and rebuild the natural balance of the island. Their return represents more than the recovery of a species. It is proof that ecosystems once thought lost can recover when science and conservation work together. 💚 This World Turtle Day, we celebrate not only their survival, but the hope they carry for the future of Floreana. 📷 Carlos Espinosa/CDF, Joshua Vela, Andrés Cruz #WorldTurtleDay #Galapagos #GiantTortoise #Conservation #IslandRestoration About the Floreana Island Ecological Restoration Project: The project is led by Ecuador’s Ministry of Environment and Energy through the Galápagos National Park Directorate (GNPD) and the Galápagos Biosecurity and Quarantine Agency (ABG). It is co-executed by Fundación Jocotoco, the Charles Darwin Foundation, and Island Conservation, with the support of several partner organizations and the local community.