Extinct Tortoise Found Again on Galapagos Island!

A giant tortoise that was thought to be extinct has been discovered on a Galapagos island! The Galapagos Conservancy reported the great news at the end of May.

Researchers found a female tortoise on the Galápagos’ Fernandina Island during an expedition by Galápagos National Park Directorate and the Galápagos Conservancy. The tortoise has been nicknamed “Fernanda.”

The scientists were able to confirm genetic similarities between Fernanda and the Fernandina Giant Tortoise, which was last reported alive 112 years ago. Scientists are now planning an urgent trip to find a mate for Fernanda and save the species.

“One of the greatest mysteries in Galapagos has been the Fernandina Island Giant Tortoise. Rediscovering this lost species may have occurred just in the nick of time to save it. We now urgently need to complete the search of the island to find other tortoises,” said Dr. James Gibbs, Vice President of Science and Conservation for the Galapagos Conservancy and tortoise expert at the State University of New York.

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