"Ecuadorian authorities this week released 158 juvenile tortoises, each between 8 and 13 years old. The release is the first phase of a larger plan to reintroduce 700 animals to the island. "For the first time in over a century, Floreana is once again home to giant tortoises, a species that plays a strategic role as ecosystem engineers: seed dispersers, vegetation regulators, and promoters of natural habitat regeneration," the environment ministry said Friday."
"The young tortoises carry between 40% and 80% of the genetic makeup of "Chelonoidis niger", the species that disappeared in the 19th century due to invasive mammals, whaling, fire and human exploitation. According to the ministry, the juveniles were bred at a Galapagos National Park facility using animals with strong genetic ties to Floreana's lost lineage. Officials hope the longterm resettlement effort will eventually restore the original species profile on the island."
Nearly 150 years after their disappearance from Floreana Island, giant tortoises have begun returning with 158 juveniles released as the first phase of a plan to reintroduce 700 animals. The juveniles are 8 to 13 years old and were bred at a Galapagos National Park facility using breeding stock with strong genetic ties to Floreana's lost lineage. The young tortoises carry 40–80% of the genetic makeup of Chelonoidis niger. The tortoises function as ecosystem engineers by dispersing seeds, regulating vegetation and promoting habitat regeneration. Seasonal rains and ongoing conservation measures aim to help the animals adjust amid human presence and invasive-species threats.
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