Isabela Island

Floreana Island, part of the Galápagos archipelago, is the site of a significant conservation effort. The island's Floreana giant tortoise subspecies (Chelonoidis niger niger) was driven to extinction in the 1840s due to exploitation by whalers. The current news focuses on the reintroduction of 158 captive-bred juvenile giant tortoises to Floreana, marking their return after nearly two centuries. This reintroduction is part of the Floreana Ecological Restoration Project, led by the Galápagos National Park Directorate. The return of these 'life-giving engineers' is considered a crucial milestone for the island's ecosystem restoration, highlighting the ongoing efforts to recover biodiversity in the Galápagos and the importance of conservation projects in reversing the impact of human activities on vulnerable species.