The tortoises of Floreana went extinct a decade or two after Charles Darwin’s visit in 1835, with the very last surviving individuals most likely hunted for food. In November 2015, 19 tortoises with partial Floreana ancestry were transferred from Wolf Volcano to the Tortoise Center on Santa Cruz. An additional four tortoises already in the Center were also identified as having partial Floreana tortoise ancestry. A breeding program, initiated with 20 of these tortoises in 2017, is producing tortoises with nearly 100% Floreana ancestry.
This tortoise will be a member of the first cohort of tortoises being released back to Floreana Island, a major conservation milestone!
By adopting a Floreana Giant Tortoise, you are participating in bringing a species back from extinction and giving Floreana island the chance to recover habitat for all its native wildlife.