The Pinzon giant tortoises in the Galapagos Islands are breeding again. For the first time in a century, scientists have found baby giant tortoises that have been born in the wild.
In 1970, an expedition discovered there were only 19 adult tortoises on the archipelago's Pinzon island, averaging 70 years old. In order to preserve the species the scientists removed them to start a captive breeding program on Santa Cruz island. The program produced juveniles that were transplanted back to the island, the only place this species is found.
In December, six infant Pinzons were found to have been born on the island, according to Danny Rueda, who is in charge of conservation and restoration of ecosystems in the Galapagos. He said there are now 650 juvenile and adult tortoises on Pinzon.
Rueda said that the reintroduction of the tortoise was helped by the 2012 effort to eradicate rats that had infested Pinzon and the other islands in the archipelago after being introduced years ago by passing ships. The rats interfered with the local ecosystem and prevented the reproduction of the tortoises and other species on the island.
During a follow up survey in 2014, James Gibbs reported seeing several young tortoises. "During our treks around Pinzón, the team also found many young hatchlings, a truly exciting find as they are the first hatchlings to survive on Pinzón in more than a century. Once black rats were introduced to Pinzón in the late 1800s, they preyed on 100 percent of tortoise hatchlings. This new bunch of "little guys" is one of the important results of the rat eradication campaign, tangible proof that with dedication, hard work, support, and heart, conservation efforts can effect positive change."
Scientists estimate there were as many as 250,000 tortoises that once inhabited the Galapagos Islands before the 16th century. In the 19th century, the tortoises were hunted heavily why whalers visited the islands. Humans also introduced not-native species such as goats that compete with the tortoises for food and rats that prey on the tortoise eggs.
"Finding the six baby tortoises tells us that the process of eradicating rats succeeded," he said.
"We have begun to see that the ecosystem has begun to restore itself" on Pinzon, Rueda added. "It is a process that takes a long time. But the first step is the birth of tortoises in their natural habitat, which a century ago did not happen."
The Galapagos, an Ecuadorean territy in the Pacific is located about 1,000 kilometers fro mthe mainland and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1978 because of its unique land and marine animals and vegetation.
