From Fifteen Founders to a Wild Population
The Española giant tortoise (Chelonoidis hoodensis) is found only in the Galapagos Islands. By the 1960s, only 14 tortoises remained on Española after decades of exploitation and damage from introduced goats. They were brought into managed care between 1963 and 1974; a third male, Diego, joined the breeding group from the San Diego Zoo in 1977, bringing the founders to 15. The recovery illustrates how every living descendant on Española traces back to this very small group.
Breeding, Repatriation and Habitat Repair
Young tortoises were reared at the breeding centre on Santa Cruz and returned to Española over many years. Releases began in 1972, and the returned animals later started breeding naturally. Removing goats was equally important because the animals had stripped vegetation and changed the island’s habitat. More than 2,300 tortoises now live freely on Española, where natural reproduction is an essential sign that recovery is taking hold.
Restoring an Ecological Role
Giant tortoises are major herbivores that move seeds and help keep parts of the vegetation open as they feed and travel. Those actions can support wider restoration, including open ground used by waved albatrosses. The work still requires monitoring, protection from new introduced species and attention to changing climate conditions. A healthy population depends on both the tortoises and the island habitat that supports them.
