Giant tortoises return to Floreana Island with NASA satellite guidance.

NASA satellite data guided the release of 158 giant tortoises on Floreana Island, the first reintroduction there in more than 150 years.

More than 150 years after giant tortoises disappeared from Floreana Island, conservationists have returned animals to the wild with guidance from NASA satellite data. The Galápagos National Park Directorate and the Galápagos Conservancy led the release and worked with scientists using Earth observations to identify suitable habitat. The restoration follows breeding work that traced Floreana ancestry to tortoises found on Wolf Volcano and to museum and cave specimens. The release is part of a broader ecological restoration project on Floreana. Key facts: - On Feb. 20, 158 giant tortoises were released at two sites on Floreana Island. - Tortoises disappeared from Floreana in the mid-1800s after heavy hunting and the introduction of predators such as pigs and rats. - Researchers found tortoises on Wolf Volcano whose DNA, compared with bones from Floreana, confirmed Floreana ancestry and supported a breeding program. - NASA and partner satellite missions (including Landsat, Sentinel, the Global Precipitation Measurement mission, Terra, and commercial smallsat images) were used to map vegetation, moisture, temperature, and terrain for a decision tool that guides release timing and location. - The Floreana Ecological Restoration Project aims to remove invasive species and eventually return 12 native animal species, using tortoises as a keystone for ecosystem recovery. Summary: The recent release is a milestone in efforts to restore Floreana's ecosystem and to re-establish ecological roles once filled by tortoises. Teams will monitor outcomes and continue using habitat mapping and multi-decade forecasts to guide future releases and restoration planning across the archipelago.