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A juvenile tortoise feeds at the Santa Cruz Tortoise Center (© Dottie Carter)
Rearing young tortoises in captivity to approximately 5 years of age prior to releasing them into the wild is a vital tool in rebuilding population numbers quickly. Tortoise mortality in the wild is highest over the first couple of years, often due to lack of food or water as well as tortoise hatchlings being easy prey for both endemic and invasive predators. Once a tortoise reaches five years old, it is more likely to survive to maturity. Captive rearing has been used in Galapagos since 1965 to help restore threatened tortoise populations of 9 of the 11 surviving species. Improvements in nesting areas and incubation and rearing techniques over the decades has made this one of the most successful conservation programs in Galapagos.
There are three Tortoise Centers in Galapagos, all managed by the Galapagos National Park Directorate. The Tortoise Center on Santa Cruz was originally established by the Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS) in 1965, then run jointly with the GNPD, which assumed all management responsibilities in 1998. Since 2014, with the launch of the Giant Tortoise Restoration Initiative, Galapagos Conservancy scientists have served as advisors to ensure continued long-term success of all tortoise centers.
GNPD staff holds a juvenile tortoise in Santa Cruz (© K. Wukitsch)
Juvenile tortoises on Isabela (© GTRI)
02.25.21 February 24, 2021 Rangers with the Galapagos National Park Directorate (GNPD)... More >
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By Lucas Bustamante, co-founder at Tropical Herping and Giant Tortoise Restoration... More >
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