The Return of the Giants: How Giant Tortoises Came Home to Floreana

In February 2026, something extraordinary happened on a remote island in the Galápagos archipelago. After more than 180 years of absence, giant tortoises once again began walking the volcanic landscapes of Floreana Island. For conservationists, scientists, and local communities, it marked the culmination of decades of research, perseverance, and hope, and the beginning of a new chapter in one of the world’s most ambitious rewilding projects.

The reintroduction of giant tortoises is far more than a symbolic milestone. These ancient reptiles are keystone species, ecosystem engineers whose movements shape vegetation, distribute seeds, and influence entire habitats. Their return represents a critical step toward restoring ecological balance on an island that lost its natural rhythms centuries ago. 

The project follows other recent conservation successes on Floreana, including the surprise reintroduction of the elusive Galápagos rail, another native species lost for more than a century and now returning thanks to intensive habitat restoration and invasive species control.

The Floreana giant tortoise once roamed the island in vast numbers, shaping forests and grasslands through grazing and seed dispersal. But in the 19th century, the arrival of whalers, settlers, and invasive species brought devastation. Sailors harvested tortoises as a source of fresh meat, while introduced animals such as rats and feral cats destroyed nests and young tortoises. By the mid-1800s, the Floreana tortoise was declared extinct.

For nearly two centuries, Floreana existed without its iconic giants. The absence of tortoises altered the island’s ecology, disrupting vegetation patterns and weakening the natural processes that once defined its unique environment.

Hope returned in the early 2000s, when scientists discovered tortoises on other Galápagos islands carrying genetic ancestry from the extinct Floreana population. This discovery led to a groundbreaking breeding programme launched in 2017, which identified individuals with strong Floreana lineage and raised their offspring in controlled conditions.

After more than a decade of careful monitoring and husbandry, the juveniles reached a size large enough to survive in the wild. The aim was not to recreate the original subspecies exactly, but to restore tortoises capable of fulfilling the ecological role their ancestors once played.

On 20 February 2026, 158 juvenile tortoises were released onto Floreana Island, the first to return in over 180 years. The release forms part of the Floreana Ecological Restoration Project, one of the most ambitious ecosystem recovery initiatives ever undertaken in the Galápagos.

The tortoises were introduced at the start of the rainy season, when vegetation is most abundant, and conditions are favourable. Each animal was health-screened and fitted with tracking technology to monitor movement and well-being. Additional releases are planned over the coming years, with the goal of establishing a self-sustaining population that could eventually number thousands.

“Seeing giant tortoises back on Floreana is a truly spine-tingling moment,” commented Dr Jen Jones, chief executive of Galápagos Conservation Trust. “It’s a validation of the incredible efforts we’ve seen over the last 20 years from a whole ecosystem of conservation NGOs, local authorities, determined individual researchers and community champions, and GCT is proud to have been part of this collective effort since the very start.”

Her words capture the emotional and scientific significance of the moment: a powerful reminder that conservation success is built on collaboration, patience, and long-term commitment.

Giant tortoises are often described as living architects of their environments. As they roam, they disperse seeds, trample vegetation to create clearings, and fertilise soil. These actions shape plant communities and create habitats for birds, reptiles, and insects.

Without tortoises, ecosystems can stagnate. Their return to Floreana is expected to regenerate vegetation, restore ecological processes, and support the recovery of native species. Conservationists consider them a foundational species whose presence triggers a cascade of positive environmental change.

The success of the Floreana project reflects years of invasive species control, habitat restoration, and community engagement. Removing goats, rats, and feral cats was essential to protecting tortoise eggs and hatchlings and allowing native wildlife to recover.

Local residents played a central role, helping implement biosecurity measures and participating in monitoring and restoration. The project demonstrates how conservation can benefit both biodiversity and local livelihoods, supporting sustainable tourism and environmental stewardship.

For travellers eager to witness this conservation story first-hand, expedition cruises remain the most immersive way to explore Floreana and the wider Galápagos. Small-ship expeditions provide access to remote landing sites, expert naturalist guides, and a flexible itinerary designed around wildlife encounters rather than fixed ports.

Guests typically combine guided hikes, snorkelling with sea lions and turtles, zodiac landings, and educational lectures that bring the islands’ evolutionary and conservation stories to life. With limited guest numbers and strict environmental protocols, expedition cruises offer a responsible, low-impact way to experience the Galápagos while contributing to its protection.

Visiting Floreana on an expedition cruise means not just observing nature, but understanding the delicate balance between science, conservation, and sustainable tourism that makes projects like the tortoise reintroduction possible.