Escaping Extinction: The Española Tortoise’s Long Road Home

On June 15, 2020, Galapagos National Park and the Galapagos Conservancy returned 15 giant tortoises (including the famous 100-year-old “Diego,” who fathered dozens of offspring) to their native Española – an uninhabited island where tortoises nearly went extinct due to exploitation by mariners in the 19th century. For the past half-century, these tortoises were part of a successful captive breeding program that produced approximately 2,000 offspring and saved their species from extinction. Today, these tortoises are on their way to repopulating their original wild home. Join Galapagos Expedition Leader Josy Cardoso as she shares one of the most amazing and encouraging success stories in the history of conservation.


Originally presented August 10, 2020

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