Science Friday Slow Breaking News: A Giant Tortoise Revival
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Mar 13, 2026 Penny Becker, CEO of Island Conservation who leads species reintroductions, and Charles Bergquist, a turtle and tortoise correspondent, discuss the revival of a Galapagos tortoise thought extinct. They cover finding surviving DNA relatives, captive breeding that produced 158 juveniles, the dramatic release and local ceremonies, invasive species removal, and sea turtle nesting and ancient fossil trackways.
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How Sailors Accidentally Saved Floriana Tortoises
- Floriana tortoises were believed wiped out but relatives on another island enabled revival.
- Penny Becker recounts how sailors likely offloaded tortoises as ship provisions, unintentionally moving Floriana genetics elsewhere.
Cave DNA Guided A Targeted Breeding Program
- DNA from tortoise remains in Floriana caves allowed scientists to match living individuals on another island to the extinct Floriana line.
- Researchers bred ~20 captives to retain Floriana genes, producing 158 juveniles for reintroduction.
Preteen Tortoises Released With Trackers
- Conservationists raised the tortoises to 8–13 years old, roughly 18 inches and 30–50 pounds, before release.
- Charles Bergquist describes them as 'preteens' that won't breed until about age 25 and now carry transmitter tags for monitoring.