These 'alien tortoises' are back on a Galapagos island where they had been extinct since the 19th century
Giant tortoises, once decimated by 19th-century whalers and pirates, are making a comeback in the Galapagos Islands. Conservationists are working to restore species that were previously thought to be extinct.
Why it matters
This highlights the ongoing efforts to reverse human-driven ecological damage and preserve biodiversity in one of the world's most significant evolutionary laboratories.
The story of the giant tortoises of the Galapagos is a story of pirates. Starting in the 16th century, these sailors began arriving at the islands, followed later by whalers, together sealing the destiny of the hundreds of thousands of specimens that inhabited the archipelago.
The resilience of the giant tortoises, which, according to experts, arrived in the Galapagos from South America 2 to 3 million years ago, became their greatest disadvantage: since they could survive for up to a year without food or water, they were captured by sailors, knowing they would endure in the holds of their ships.
"And when these people wanted to eat, the tortoises were simply there, ready to go, and they had fresh meat," Jorge Carrión, conservation director at the Galapagos Conservancy, an organisation that has been working to preserve the archipelago since 1985, told CNN.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in