Giant tortoises return to Galápagos island after nearly 200 years

BBC News - WorldCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete February 21, 2026 at 07:32 PM

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Giant tortoises have been reintroduced to Floreana Island in the Galápagos for the first time in over 180 years. The release of 158 captive-bred juvenile tortoises is part of the Floreana Ecological Restoration Project, led by the Galápagos National Park Directorate. The native Floreana tortoise species went extinct in the 1840s due to exploitation by sailors. This reintroduction became possible after scientists discovered tortoises with Floreana ancestry on Isabela Island and initiated a breeding program in 2017. Conservationists plan to release more tortoises in the future, hoping they will help restore the island's ecosystem. The project represents a significant milestone for island restoration efforts worldwide.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Wolf Volcano 40% Santa Cruz Island 50% Jen Jones 60% Galápagos National Park Directorate 70% Isabela Island ×270% Galápagos Conservation Trust (GCT) ×380% Galápagos Islands ×290% Floreana Island ×695%

Keywords

giant tortoises 100% galápagos island 90% floreana 90% reintroduction 80% ecological restoration 70% conservation 70% captive-bred 60% back-breeding program 50% extinction 50%

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Very Positive

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BBC News - World

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Center (0.00)

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Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Floreana Island

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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giant tortoises galápagos island floreana reintroduction ecological restoration conservation captive-bred back-breeding program extinction

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