Tortoise Success
A group of aging giant tortoises that helped save their species from the brink of extinction in the Galápagos Islands was released into the wild after four decades of tireless breeding.
The number of giant tortoises plummeted to just 15 individuals in the 1970s as the captive breeding program was launched. There are now more than 2,000 living on Española Island, meaning the species’ survival is assured and the breeding program can end.
One tortoise named Diego, famous for his virility, sired some 800 offspring. He and 14 other breeding veterans have been relocated to an area of the island where their favorite snack of cactus is abundant. Wildlife experts say this setting should make their transition to life in the wild easier.
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