[Ecosystem Restoration Project] Introducing the Giant Tortoise Restoration Initiative

The Galapagos Islands, an archipelago located near the western coast of Ecuador, embodies an ecosystem bubbling with life. When the human species set foot on the islands, they were awestruck by the numerous variations of birds, vegetation, fish, iguanas, and more than one would expect on the continent but most fascinatingly, they found that the islands were home to a great number of giant tortoises.

After the discovery, the area was named galapagos, or a term referring to giant tortoise in Spanish. Ever since, the Galapagos has been known for its remarkable residents – a plethora of shelled land reptiles.However, more and more people started to visit the islands, and with them, came rats, dogs, pigs, ants, and other small mammals on board.   

The people, fascinated by the abundance of tortoises, started to eat them up, leaving nothing but bones and shell. They exploited the giant species as a food source. Even Charles Darwin, the prominent naturalist who published ?The Origin of Species after visiting the Galapagos Islands, ate tortoise meat with his crew during his trip. Eventually, the population died out.

After some time, humans found out that the giant tortoises were a rich source of oil. Again, they were expoited. Yet that was not the worst part.   

The rats, dogs, pigs, ants, and others that had followed the humans all the way to the islands – they easily adjusted into the island ecosystem. Soon enough, more and more tortoise eggs started to disappear. Eggs and young tortoises were vulnerable targets. There were simply too many rats and predators. And the tortoises could not do anything about it. The people could not do anything about it.

At some point, goats and donkeys were also introduced to the island. But the island was not ready for them. They started to damage the habitats for thousands of indigenous species.

And now? Despite being under protection, these Galapagos giant tortoises are facing serious problems.

The giant tortoise is one of the most endangered species in the Galapagos Islands.

Recently, however, the Galapagos National Park Service (GNPS), the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF), and international scientists are working on a project called the Giant Tortoise Restoration Initiative.

Before getting started, identifying the status of the tortoise population was the pressing problem. In 1959, the GNPS and CDF collaborated in order to review the tortoise census.

Unfortunately, it was found that only 11 out of the original 14 populations remained. Most of the tortoises left on the islands were highly endangered, and that was lucky. Other species on the islands were on the brink of extinction.

In response to the urgent conditions, related organizations started to keep an eye on the tortoises. They opened the giant tortoise restoration project in which scientists and researchers participated in international terms.

On Pinzon Island, one of the sub-islands making up the Galapagos archipelago, fewer than 200 year old giant tortoise adults were found. Tortoises in this area, well-known for their longevity, normally live longer than 100 years, and a lot of times, over 200 years.

However, Pinzon Island desperately lacked the number of tortoises making up the present population. More than a few centuries before, all of the eggs and hatchlings had been killed by the intruders from the continent.

The researchers were sure that the whole population would go extinct without help.

In 1965, they began a rearing program directed on the tortoises on Pinzon Island. The experts had built a new tortoise center on Island Santa Cruz, another island making up the Galapagos archipelago. Urgently, they transferred the new tortoise eggs from Pinzon to the center on the neighboring island. Successfully, they managed to transfer 20 eggs from Pinzon Island, hoping to take good care of them while they remained vulnerable at birth. Tortoises younger than 4~5 years may end up as rat food.

Five years later, in 1970, the experts decided that the tortoises had grown enough to return home. Now considered rat-proof, the first 20 tortoises were repatriated to Pinzon Island.

Island Española, however, was facing even worse conditions. Only 14 tortoises were found on the whole island – and only 2 of them male. The conditions being severe, the experts felt the desperateness to move the tortoises to a secure environment.

Though the population was scarce, the experts carried out a breeding program with the remaining tortoises. To their delight, a 3^rd male tortoise from the island successfully returned to its home in 1976 from the San Diego Zoo.

In the past, researchers lacked knowledge or incubation techniques needed in order to help the tortoises breed. To go past these barriers, the GNPS and CDF collaborated with a team of international scientists. They made strides to change and directly address the complex problems regarding the Galapagos Islands. Over the years, the two organizations were able to develop improved technologies needed in order to incubate and rear tortoises. Now, a complete improvement in nesting areas has taken place, and the project is expecting more hatchlings.

Today, the projects on both islands are still successfully addressing the critical state of the Galapagos Islands. On Pinzon Island, more than 550 tortoises have been repatriated so far, and tortoises are bond to enjoy a safe and guaranteed rat-proof childhood.

On Espanola Island, more than 1,700 tortoises have been repatriated, and breeding / eradication problems on other fields are also at a similar level.

The preservers were able to remove feral goats all around the major islands on the archipelago. On Island Pinta, 5,940 ha of land is now free of goats, a major threat to tortoises. On Santiago Island, 58, 465 ha has been eradicated. Islabela Island?s northern portion reaches 250,000 ha.

So far, 38 sterilized tortoises have been released on Pinta to serve as environmental engineers. Tortoises paly the important role of Ecosystem engineers across the Galapagos Islands, and the increase in population suggests hope.

Even a few decades ago, such advances would have been impossible. However, science has brought naturalists all around the world together to make these advances possible. If we, as normal people, pay more attention on these projects, the tortoises on the Galapagos Islands will recover faster. Over 10 years, experts believe that the project will restore tortoise populations. The scientists, during the period, will keep on breeding and rearing tortoises when needed. Though different, the tortoises on each island share similar traits. Scientists are now using these tortoises through analog, making it easier to reproduce.