A female tortoise, believed to be extinct for over 100 years, has been rediscovered.
The discovery was made on the remote volcanic island Fernandina in the Galapagos. The female Fernandina tortoise was found by a team of biologists, including from Animal Planet’s show Extinct or Alive, and the Galapagos Conservancy.
Wacho Tapia, director of the Giant Tortoise Restoration Initiative, was on the expedition that found the tortoise, which was identified by her shell and face.
“The conservation of Galapagos giant tortoises has been my world for 29 years, and I have been involved in many exciting events, including the discovery of a new species of tortoise. But this time, the emotion I feel is indescribable,” said Tapia. “To find a living tortoise on Fernandina Island is perhaps the most important find of the century. The only live specimen of the species from Fernandina (‘Chelonoidis phantasticus’) was found 112 years ago.”
BREAKING NEWS! GC’s own @wacho_tapia just returned from Fernandina Island in #Galapagos, where they discovered a female #tortoise. Tortoises on Fernandina have been thought to be extinct for over 100 years, so this is a monumental finding! Photos © GNPD, W. Tapia pic.twitter.com/fhQpIzsHmM
— GalapagosConservancy (@SaveGalapagos) February 20, 2019
Congrats to the #ExtinctorAlive team and @ForrestGalante for finding a Fernandina tortoise presumed to be extinct since 1906! With her discovery, there's hope that more species are out there surviving against great odds. 🐢https://t.co/i824eLFEWb pic.twitter.com/2QkWyIkBIH
— Animal Planet (@AnimalPlanet) February 21, 2019
Tapia continued, saying that now they need to confirm the genetic origin of the female.
“She is old but she is alive! It was even more exciting to share the moment with my good friends, park rangers Jeffreys Malaga, Eduardo Vilema, Roberto Ballesteros, and Simon Villamar, and to have the whole event recorded by a team from Animal Planet!”
The television crew documented the entire expedition, and it will be featured as an episode in the worldwide series in the summer of 2019.
A Fernandina tortoise, presumed to be extinct since 1906, has been FOUND! She was discovered in an expedition for #ExtinctorAlive by @ForrestGalante. This tortoise was hiding in the brush of a volcano in the Galapagos and was identified by the look of her shell and face. pic.twitter.com/R4a2YOdI8j
— Animal Planet (@AnimalPlanet) February 20, 2019
"We are moved and excited about this historic news. As the rate of animal extinction is widely debated, it gives us great hope that some species are surviving against the odds and that at Animal Planet we can do our bit to celebrate and support them,” said Susanna Dinnage, global president of Animal Planet.
The turtle was taken into captivity, which the conservancy explained was to help keep her species alive.
“Choosing to relocate the tortoise was a very difficult decision. Tortoises that are this rare can be difficult to find again in the wild, especially as they move around a lot. This one is quite old and has been living in a habitat with little nearby to eat. She will have a much better chance at survival in captivity where food and water are abundant,” said the conservancy. “f she had been left on Fernandina, she might have become lost forever, along with the potential for future breeding efforts to help the survival of her species.”
An expedition to Fernandina is planned for later this year to look for more Fernandina tortoises. According to the conservancy, should more be found they will be brought into captivity with this female in hopes that they may breed and young can be reared. The tortoises can eventually be brought back to Fernandina to live out their lives.
