Photo credit: Mara Speece

For the first time in more than 180 years, giant tortoises have returned to Floreana Island, roaming freely in their ancestral habitat. Last week, 158 juvenile Floreana Giant Tortoises were released as part of the Floreana Ecological Restoration Project, the largest ecological restoration effort ever undertaken in the Galápagos Islands.

Driven to extinction in the mid-1800s, Floreana’s iconic tortoises had vanished from the island for generations. Their return marks a significant turning point not only for the island’s ecosystems but also for its community, offering renewed hope for rewilding and coexistence.

“We restore islands so native species and human communities can thrive together,” stated Penny Becker, Ph.D., CEO, Island Conservation.

The Floreana Ecological Restoration Project puts the island’s roughly 160 residents at the center of its mission. Developed with and for the community, the initiative prioritizes both the long-term health of the island’s ecosystems and the sustainability of local livelihoods. The project is led by Ecuador’s Ministry of Environment and Mines, through the Galápagos National Park Directorate (GNPD) and the Galápagos Biosecurity and Quarantine Agency (ABG), and co-executed by Fundación Jocotoco, the Charles Darwin Foundation, and Island Conservation, with support from Galápagos Conservancy.

“The Floreana Ecological Restoration Project represents one of the greatest challenges undertaken by the Galápagos National Park,” said Lorena Sánchez, Director of the Galápagos National Park. “After several years of sustained, science-based work—requiring rigorous studies and patience to implement on an inhabited island—the return of the giant tortoises reflects a long-term restoration vision focused on progressively restoring the ecological functionality of Floreana’s ecosystems.”

“For generations, Floreana existed without its giant tortoises,” said Verónica Mora, Community Representative from Floreana Island. “Their return shows what is possible when a community leads and many partners come together with a shared purpose. This moment marks an important step toward a future where conservation and community wellbeing go hand in hand — because our livelihoods, from tourism to agriculture and fishing, depend on the health of this island.”

Community involvement has been integral, from planning workshops to biosecurity measures and ecological monitoring. This engagement has already led to significant conservation victories, such as the rediscovery of the Galápagos Rail (Laterallus spilonota), locally called the Pachay, a bird not recorded on Floreana since Charles Darwin’s first visit.

The tortoises released last week are the result of decades of genetic research. Studies in the early 2000s identified tortoises living on Wolf Volcano, north of Isabela Island, as carrying Floreana ancestry. These were the last living descendants of a lineage long believed lost, likely displaced by historical whaling practices.

Through a carefully managed breeding program, these tortoises were raised to reestablish a population genetically as close as possible to the original Floreana giant tortoise.

“Today’s release represents the culmination of years of genetic research and conservation collaboration,” said Hugo Mogollón, President and CEO of Galápagos Conservancy. “By identifying tortoises on Wolf Volcano with Floreana ancestry and breeding their descendants, we are returning this species to its island in a form that closely reflects the original lineage—laying a critical scientific foundation for the restoration of Floreana’s ecosystems and the future reintroduction of additional native species.”

Giant tortoises are keystone species, shaping vegetation, dispersing seeds, and creating micro-habitats like wallows. Their absence for nearly 200 years altered Floreana’s ecological processes. Their reintroduction is expected to naturally restore these functions, benefiting plants, birds, and other wildlife.

“Habitats are the foundation for biodiversity—the home that allows species to move, live and evolve naturally over time,” said Rakan Zahawi, Executive Director of the Charles Darwin Foundation. “Giant tortoises are a critical part of this system. By dispersing seeds, shaping vegetation, creating micro-habitats such as their well-known wallows, and influencing how landscapes regenerate, they help rebuild ecological processes that many other species depend on.”

Their return will strengthen land-sea connections, allowing seabird populations to enrich surrounding marine environments with nutrients that sustain healthy coral reefs.

Once fully restored, Floreana will stand as the largest ecological restoration initiative in the Galápagos, a global example of how protecting nature and strengthening communities can go hand in hand.

“This decade of collaborative work now yields a result that couldn’t be possible without all of the partners working together. We restore islands so native species and human communities can thrive together,” said Dr. Penny Becker, CEO of Island Conservation. “Seeing tortoises walk freely on Floreana once again after more than 180 years shows what’s possible when local partners, global experts, and the community share a vision for recovery.”

With the first species successfully reintroduced, project partners are preparing for the next phase of rewilding iconic species, including the Floreana Mockingbird, Floreana racer snake, Vegetarian Finch, and Little Vermilion Flycatcher.

“Reaching this moment has taken more than 15 years of dedicated work, coordination, and long-term planning,” said Eliécer Cruz, Director of Fundación Jocotoco’s Galápagos Program. “This release is the result of sustained collaboration with the Floreana community, government partners, scientists, and conservation organizations, working step by step to make ecological recovery possible. Seeing giant tortoises return to Floreana confirms that long-term commitment and collective action can restore ecosystems that once seemed lost.”