Tortoises released onto island again after 150 yearsAP, FLOREANA ISLAND, ECUADORAbout 150 years after the last giant tortoises were removed from Floreana Island in Ecuador’s Galapagos archipelago, the species made a comeback Friday, when dozens of juvenile hybrids were released to begin restoring the island’s depleted ecosystem. Residents of Floreana watch as Galapagos National Park rangers present juvenile giant tortoises to be released as part of a project to reintroduce the Floreana giant tortoise to its native island in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, on Thursday. The lineage of these hybrids traces back to Wolf Volcano on Isabela Island — an adjacent island — a discovery that still puzzles scientists today. “We are seeing the reality of a project that began several years ago,” she said, adding that the community feels immense pride in the return of the giant tortoises. The UN designated the Galapagos Islands as a Natural World Heritage Site in 1978.

Source: Taipei Times February 21, 2026 18:26 UTC