A Giant Tortoise Thought Extinct For Over 100 Years Has Been Found in Galapagos
YASEMIN SAPLAKOGLU, LIVE SCIENCE
1 JUNE 2021
A giant tortoise in the Galápagos Islands that was thought to have gone extinct over a century ago just came out of hiding.
Researchers discovered the female tortoise on the Galápagos Fernandina Island during a joint expedition carried out by the Galápagos National Park Directorate and the Galápagos Conservancy in 2019, according to a statement.
They nicknamed her Fernanda .
At the time, the team was confident that the lone tortoise was the lost Fernandina Giant Tortoise (
Chelonoidis phantasticus), a species native to the island that was thought extinct for 112 years due to eruptions of the Fernandina Volcano, according to the statement. But to confirm, they sent blood samples to geneticists at Yale University.
Reptiles Magazine
Fern was found on Fernandina Volcano during an expedition to locate the species.
May 28, 2021
Fern is the last known tortoise of her species.
A giant tortoise that was found in 2019 and thought to be an extinct species, is actually the species and is not extinct. Fern, the Fernandina giant tortoise (her founding is chronicled in the May/June 2019 issue of REPTILES magazine) that was found in 2019, was the first sighting of the species in more than 100 years.
At the time of her discovery, it was thought that her species was extinct, but genetic testing of a blood sample sent to Yale University and tested against a male that was found in 1906 confirmed she is the last known tortoise of her species. She is related to the
“Extinct” for 112 Years: Galapagos Giant Tortoise Rediscovery Confirmed
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A lone female Giant Tortoise was found on Fernandina Island in the Galapagos Islands in 2019 during a joint expedition of the Galapagos National Park Directorate and Galapagos Conservancy. Genetic testing conducted by researchers at Yale University has now confirmed this tortoise is the Fernandina Giant Tortoise, which was believed to be extinct since 1906. Galapagos Conservancy and the Galapagos National Park Directorate will urgently launch expeditions to find a mate for the female tortoise and save the species.
“Fern,” the female tortoise found on Fernandina Island in 2019.
To avoid the same tragic fate as Lonesome George – the last Pinta Giant Tortoise who died in 2012 – an urgent expedition to Fernandina Island will be launched by GNPD and Galapagos Conservancy to find a mate and save the species.
Galápagos Tortoise Feared Extinct for 112 Years Needs a Mate to Help Save Species
On 5/26/21 at 8:50 AM EDT
Scientists have found a living relative of a species of tortoise long thought to have been extinct.
It has raised hopes the species could be revived if researchers can find a mate for the animal a female Giant Tortoise discovered on Fernandina Island in Ecuador, which is part of the Galápagos Islands.
The tortoise, named Fern, was discovered in 2019 by researchers at the Galápagos National Park Directoriate (GNPD) and Galápagos Conservancy.
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At that time, they had assumed Fern was related to the Fernandina Giant Tortoise species the last example of which was recorded 112 years ago. But they needed evidence.