Galápagos Islands

The Galápagos Islands, a volcanic archipelago, are renowned for their unique biodiversity. They are newsworthy due to the reintroduction of giant tortoises to Floreana Island after nearly 200 years of absence. The Floreana giant tortoise (Chelonoidis niger niger) subspecies was driven to extinction on the island in the 1840s by whalers. The Galápagos National Park Directorate's Floreana Ecological Restoration Project has reintroduced 158 captive-bred juvenile tortoises. This reintroduction is a significant milestone for conservation, restoring the tortoises' role as ecosystem engineers. The return of the tortoises highlights ongoing efforts to protect and restore the Galápagos' unique environment and its endangered species.