A restocking program of giant tortoises will be launched on the Santa Fe Island. The project will be implemented through the Galapagos National Park Directorate (GNPD). This initiative marks a milestone in the conservation and ecological restoration of the archipelago.
During the era of pirates, they razed the native population of giant tortoises on the island, located in the center of the archipelago. Santa Fe has an area of 24.7 square kilometers.
These are 207 turtles of the Chelonoidishoodensis species, between 4 and 10 years old, native to the Spanish island. On June 5, 2015 they were released in Santa Fe, in order to establish a breeding population to fulfill their role in the ecosystem.
All the turtles were measured, weighed and marked for identification. 40 individuals in this group have a GPS that will provide information on routes, movements and the activities of the turtles.
Danny Rueda, the GNPD Ecosystems Director said that the project will assess ecosystem changes resulting from the introduction and interaction of the turtles with other island species.
