The tortoises of Floreana went extinct a decade or two after Charles Darwin’s visit in 1835, with the very last surviving individuals most likely hunted for food. In November 2015, 19 tortoises with partial Floreana ancestry were transferred from Wolf Volcano to the Tortoise Center on Santa Cruz. An additional four tortoises already in the Center were also identified as having partial Floreana tortoise ancestry. A breeding program, initiated with 20 of these tortoises in 2017, is producing tortoises with nearly 100% Floreana ancestry.
When they are big and strong enough, young tortoises will be released onto Floreana in the future. But first, invasive rats and cats, that eat eggs and young tortoises, need to be eradicated from the island to create a safe habitat.
By adopting a Floreana Giant Tortoise, you are participating in bringing a species back from extinction and giving Floreana island the chance to recover habitat for all its native wildlife.
Kwa mfano, kasa wa Floreana aliangamia miaka kumi baada ya Charles Darwin kutembelea eneo hilo mwaka 1835, na watu waliobaki waliuawa kwa sababu ya chakula. Mnamo Novemba 2015, kasa 19 wenye asili ya Floreana walihamishwa kutoka Volcano ya Wolf hadi Kituo cha Tortoise huko Santa Cruz. Turtles nne za ziada tayari katika Kituo hicho pia zilitambuliwa kuwa na ukoo wa sehemu ya turtle ya Floreana. Programu ya kuzaliana, iliyoanzishwa na kasa 20 wa aina hii mnamo 2017, inazalisha kasa wenye asili ya karibu 100% ya Floreana. Wakati wao ni kubwa na nguvu ya kutosha, kasa vijana watakuwa iliyotolewa juu ya Floreana katika siku zijazo. Lakini kwanza, panya na paka wanaovamia, ambao hula mayai na kasa wachanga, wanahitaji kuondolewa kwenye kisiwa hicho ili kuunda mazingira salama. Kwa kupitisha kamba kubwa ya Floreana, unashiriki katika kuleta spishi kutoka kwa kutoweka na kutoa kisiwa cha Floreana nafasi ya kurudisha makazi kwa wanyama wote wa asili.