Giant tortoises released onto Pinta Island for the first time for 40 years

Tortoises needed to engineer the ecosystem

June 2010. 39 tortoises have been released into the wilds of Pinta Island, in the northern waters of the Galapagos Archipelago, as part of an ongoing effort to restore the ecological integrity of Pinta ecosystems. This is the first time that tortoises have inhabited the island since the removal of Lonesome George, the last known Pinta tortoise, in 1972.

The return of tortoises to Pinta is considered an essential step towards re-establishing ecological processes on the island. The Ministry of the Environment of Ecuador is overseeing this vital step in the implementation of the plan for the ecological restoration of Pinta.

Lonesome George last of his kind
Giant tortoises on Pinta are thought to have numbered between 5,000 and 10,000 before pirates and whalers began removing them for food. As a result of the over-exploitation in past centuries, tortoises were believed to be extinct on Pinta during much of the twentieth century. The discovery of Lonesome George on Pinta in 1971 surprised scientists and park managers alike. George was transported to the Tortoise Center on Santa Cruz Island in the spring of 1972 to ensure his safety. While park rangers, scientists and the thousands of tourists who have visited George hope that one day a mate will be discovered-on Pinta, in a zoo, or in a private collection-no female Pinta tortoise has yet been found.

Lonesome George was the last of the true Pinta Island tortoises

Tortoises are important eco-system engineers

In addition to the removal of giant tortoises, which are known to play an important role as "ecosystem engineers" through movement patterns, herbivory, and seed dispersal, Pinta also suffered large-scale degradation by introduced goats. Three goats released onto Pinta in 1959 eventually resulted in a population of more than 40,000 animals, which destroyed much of the island's native vegetation. After the GNP achieved eradication of the goats from the island in 2003, the vegetation recovered rapidly. However, full and balanced island restoration required the presence of Galapagos giant tortoises.


Hybrid tortoises sterilized and releasedWhile ongoing genetic studies are helping to determine the best species with which to repopulate the island, it is important that tortoises be released onto Pinta as soon as possible. The decision was made to use the hybrid tortoises held in corrals of the GNP on Santa Cruz and Floreana for this purpose. These tortoises are the offspring of tortoises of unknown origin held in captivity during the early years of the GNP. Given that one of the main goals of the GNP is to conserve the evolutionary integrity of the archipelago's biodiversity, release of hybrid tortoises into the wild is unacceptable. Therefore, these tortoises were destined to spend their entire lives-as much as 150 years or more-in captivity. By sterilizing these tortoises, they can now be released into the wild on Pinta as non-reproducing contributors to the restoration of the island's ecosystem.

A group of veterinarians from the United States, led by Drs. Steve Divers (College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia), Sam Rivera (Zoo Atlanta), and Joe Flanagan (Houston Zoo), worked with the GNP to sterilize the tortoises in November 2009. Since that time, the tortoises have been held in quarantine in a corral separate from all other captive tortoises. Their health is monitored and their faeces are also inspected to determine if they have consumed any seeds. It is essential to ensure that the tortoises do not introduce any plant species to the nearly pristine island. The tortoises will also be fitted with satellite and telemetry tags so that scientists can monitor their movements on Pinta.

This project has been made possible by funding from the Galapagos National Park, and generous contributions of the Panaphil Foundation, Continental Airlines, Buffalo Exchange, SUNY-ESF, the Houston Zoo, a number of veterinarians who have donated their services, and approximately 1,000 Galapagos Conservancy members.

Galapagos Conservancy is dedicated exclusively to the long-term protection of the Galapagos Islands. This single focus allows us to maximize the impact of the financial investments of our members, who include individuals and institutions that care deeply about the Galapagos Islands and understand the scientific importance of preserving this extraordinary ecosystem.

Under the leadership of the Minister of the Environment, the tortoises' release was carried out by a team of park rangers, herpetologists, botanists, and veterinarians-from the Galapagos National Park (GNP), Galapagos Conservancy, the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), and the Houston Zoo.