For the First Time in 180 Years, Giant Tortoises Return to Floreana
Driven to extinction in the mid-1800s, the island lost its keystone species — an ecosystem engineer that once shaped forests, dispersed seeds, and sustained ecological balance.
On February 20, 2026, 158 Floreana-lineage giant tortoises walked on their ancestral island once again.
A species once believed lost has returned, and now we must ensure they thrive.
The 158 juveniles released this month are the first step in a multi-decade restoration effort.
Additional releases will follow each year. Monitoring will continue, and habitat restoration will expand.
As ecosystem engineers, these tortoises will disperse seeds, regenerate vegetation, and restore ecological processes that have been missing for nearly two centuries.
But recovery does not happen on its own.
Your support helps fund:
GPS tracking and annual health assessments
Habitat restoration and invasive species management