GHOSTS of the Galapagos: HOW SELECTIVE BREEDING IS HELPING BRING EXTINCT GIANT TORTOISES BACK FROM THE DEAD.

WORDS AND PICTURES BY: n January 2020, TUI DE ROY / naturepl.com the Giant Tortoise Restoration Initiative mounted I the most ambitious giant tortoise expedition to date. The mission: to find descendants of the long-extinct Floreana and Pinta tortoises, and breed them to help restore these lost bloodlines to their original Galápagos islands. Given the long lifespans of the reptiles in question, only our kids and grandkids will be there to witness the results. ECHOES OF THE PAST Whalers of old collected giant tortoises for food and left a legacy of feral goats and rats that Within the Galápagos archipelago, further depleted tortoise populations. 15 species of giant tortoise have been recognised, although only 11 survive to this day. Which four species are thought to have FLOREANA TORTOISE suffered extinction? already extinct and two But wait! What nobody (Chelonoidis niger) more were reduced to a realized is that sometime mere handful of survivors, during that great tortoise SANTA FE TORTOISE most notably a single male slaughter of the late Pinta tortoise who became 1800s, amid the whalers’ (Chelonoidis nov sp.) known affectionately as shenanigans around Banks About 200 years ago, delicious fresh meat to Lonesome George. Since Bay at the western foot of something really odd hungry sailors. Thus, tens his discovery in 1971, every Wolf Volcano on Isabela happened in Galápagos. - or possibly hundreds - effort was made worldwide Island (where sperm whales It was the heyday of of thousands of tortoises to find him a mate, and tended to congregate), far-ranging whaling met their ignominious to collect his sperm for some captured tortoises enterprises which saw demise. As a side venture, potential breeding with managed to escape. In 1835, Darwin predicted sailing ships venturing Galápagos giant tortoise his nearest kin, but to no Whether they succeeded avail. When Lonesome in crawling over the this species would soon go from both sides of the meat even made it onto to extinct Atlantic to “harvest” vast menus of fancy West Coast George died of natural gunwales, or were tossed numbers of sperm whales restaurants that sprang up causes in June 2012, after overboard (they can swim Known only from bone and frequenting Galápagos in response to the great 40 years in captivity, the pretty well) when the ships egg fragments collected world mourned the passing became overloaded, we in 1905-6 by the California waters. At sea for months California Gold Rush. of an iconic Galápagos will never know. But those Academy of Sciences (CAS) on end, these rugged By the time the plunder emblem. The Pinta tortoise fugitives began cross men soon discovered that abated, of the fifteen FERNANDINA TORTOISE giant tortoises could be species of Galápagos had joined the ranks of its breeding with the natives, stored alive more or less giant tortoises known to extinct Galápagos brethren Chelonoidis becki. (Chelonoidis phantasticus) indefinitely, providing have existed, three were (see sidebars). PINTA TORTOISE (Geochelone abingdonensis)

Apparently decimated by volcanic eruptions and known from a single large male also collected by the Lonesome George was the CAS in 1905-6. We know last Pinta tortoise. Despite that whalers had nothing to immense efforts to get do with this species’ demise him to breed, he died because Fernandina’s in 2012 after 40 years in notoriously vast and rugged captivity, without leaving lava fields were simply too descendants. His embalmed much of a barrier for hungry remains are on display in sailors. the Fuasto Llerena Tortoise Breeding Centre, Santa Cruz. ABOVE : The recently rediscovered Fernandina tortoise, believed extinct for decades, brings new hope for the survival of the species.

LEFT: Past interbreeding of Wolf Volcano tortoises with extinct ABOVE: Galápagos National Park team takes blood Floreana and Pinta bloodlines led sample from Wolf Volcano giant tortoise. to hybrids which now have the potential to save their species.

DNA analysis is used to trace descendants BELOW: Thanks to genetic testing of extinct species, which are then bred for this male was identified as a reintroduction to their original islands. Floreana hybrid — a species thought to be extinct since shortly after Darwin’s visit to the Galápagos — now part of a new breeding Fast forward to 2008, when established rule. Instead program to repopulate the island. I joined an expedition of the mainly domed organized by the carapaces typical of their Galápagos National Park environment, the Wolf tortoise, and a smaller sub- the conservation news: Directorate, tasked with tortoises displayed both group had strong Pinta a wizened little female collecting blood samples shell types, suggesting a tortoise parentage. Fernandina tortoise was from as many tortoises as very unusual admixture Armed with this discovered, surviving was practically possible of genes. A whopping information, park rangers on scant vegetation from the western slope 1,700 blood samples and scientists returned surrounded by impassable, of Wolf Volcano. This - which would take years to Wolf in 2015 to locate barren lava fields on followed a serendipitous to process - were brought and extract some hybrid the western slope of discovery by a team of Yale back from the expedition breeders. A new Floreana Fernandina island. What’s scientists, led by Dr. Gisella for DNA analysis. tortoise captive breeding more, some tracks and Caccone. The team knew When the results were program was initiated in droppings were spotted in that Galápagos tortoises finally tallied, the news 2017, cross breeding those other quasi-inaccessible living in humid climes have shocked and elated the individuals with the highest regions, indicating that dome-shaped shells, while conservation world: a percentage of Floreana she may not be alone. those living in drier habitat substantial number of genes. But Pinta and None had been have ‘saddleback’ shells. ‘saddleback’ type tortoises Fernandina tortoises still seen alive since the But there was something on Wolf Volcano were remained officially extinct. single male collected a unique about the Wolf direct descendants of Then, in February 2019, century beforehand by the tortoises that broke the the long-extinct Floreana another bombshell hit CAS team. This new female had just thrown her species a lifeline. WOLF VOLCANO TORTOISE (Chelonoidis becki)

The carapace morphology of tortoises on Wolf Volcano is quite variable, due - as it turns out - to past mating events with individuals from other islands. Hybrids are now scattered far and wide on the rugged western slope of Wolf Volcano. Here, an aggressive display between two males is settled by he whose neck can reach the highest. This often gives the advantage to the more saddlebacked shaped individual, even if he is smaller.

a monumental one, each smooth operations. team hiking transects But nature had other through dense tangles ideas. Just 36 hours before of thorny vegetation departure, Fernandina overlaying steep, fractured – which had erupted lava flows in searing heat just three weeks prior – with no locally available registered three major water source. But this seismic events that foretold time, instead of the of another possible near-impossible task of outburst, so this leg of In January 2020 I joined the to scour the forbidding knew that tracking down carrying all equipment and the expedition had to be most ambitious expedition western and northern these rare individuals supplies on our backs, a cancelled at the eleventh ever devised in Galápagos, slopes of Wolf Volcano. wasn’t going to be easy – helicopter was brought in hour for safety reasons (as organized by the Giant The job was to find the but we had an ace up our from mainland Ecuador, it was, no eruption ensued). Tortoise Restoration nearly 100 ‘desirable’ sleeve: on the previous so that boots would hit And when the mother Initiative (GTRI), a joint tortoises that had tested expedition, we’d left the ground ready to work ship (the National Park enterprise between the positive for Floreana and electronic PIT tags in each with no time wasted on launch boat ‘Sierra Negra’) Galápagos National Pinta genes (out of the tortoise’s leg. Scanning logistics. Three more teams approached Banks Bay, Park Directorate and the 1,700 sampled in 2008). these unique ‘barcodes’ would simultaneously laden down with helicopter Galápagos Conservancy, a These individuals would would tell us instantly if a tackle nearby Fernandina and pilot, plus 36 eager US-based NGO. Thirty-six be collected for a captive tortoise had the genes we in hopes of finding a mate expeditioners and gear park wardens, equipped breeding program, helping were looking for. for the recently rescued for 12 far-flung camps, with GPS, satellite phones to restore the lost Floreana Even so, anyone familiar ‘Fantastic tortoise’. The the mountain appeared and electronic tag readers, and Pinta bloodlines to with the terrain on Wolf driest time of year was shrouded in veils of mist were deployed in 12 teams their original islands. We would realize the job was chosen to guarantee and sheets of rain. Undaunted, operations and in the following five but one look at some of the Wolf tortoises, which proceeded in almost days, out of a total of the magnificent males, the we now know subsist in comic chaos. Plans had 2,453 tortoises examined, largest of all saddleback far greater numbers than to be readjusted by the an amazing 29 desirable types, with their incredibly previously estimated. In minute in response to ‘Floreana’ tortoises were long necks and almost addition, careful ever-changing weather identified, recaptured and comically flared shells, is further genetic patterns. As a result, some subsequently airlifted to proof enough of some sort analysis of the teams had to be dropped the waiting Sierra Negra, of Phoenix risen from the CAS Fernandina miles from their intended along with — yes — one ashes of time. specimen along with goal and hack their way Pinta specimen of valuable As for Pinta and the newly discovered through the jungle to pedigree! Fernandina? Clearly female must to carried establish their basecamp Despite the hardships GTRI’s job is far from out to clarify their genetic in their allotted grid map of the trip, a triumphant done. Considering the affinities beyond doubt. quadrant. Some even less atmosphere suffused the long life expectancy of Over a century ago the lucky teams were unable crowded ship as it pulled giant tortoises (over 200 CAS collectors of 1905-6, to receive their supplies into Santa Cruz Island at years is not unlikely) only sometimes criticized in on the first day and spent sunrise on January 31st, our kids or grandkids will later years for killing rare an uncomfortable night where the Floreana tortoise actually witness the results. species, could never have shivering in the mist before breeding program will Still another expedition guessed how important their tents could be flown now go into high gears. will have to be mounted their work would become in. Of course, being hybrids, to try and locate any last in reconstructing the AIRLIFT: Yet for old Galápagos the outcome will never Fernandina survivors genetic map of the Floreana hands all these setback again be the pure Floreana as well as more Pinta 15 Galápagos giant hybrid giant were but mere details, tortoise that once was, descendants amongst tortoise species currently tortoises are recognized. helicoptered from Wolf Volcano to the Fausto Llerena breeding facility.

BELOW: Pinta giant tortoise hybrid found in January 2020. The only one of her kind, she will form the nucleus of a new breeding programme.

ABOVE: Park wardens record the size and sex of each tortoise and read the PIT tags implanted under the skin to check for genetically desirable Pinta and Floreana hybrids. PINZÓN TORTOISE Pinzón Island is a landscape of (Chelonoidis duncanensis) rocks and spiny, drought-resistant vegetation. Tortoises on The island of Pinzón has an area this, and other of just 18 km2, and sits in the arid Galápagos geographical centre of all the islands, have long Galapagos islands. necks and raised The tortoises on Pinzón were ‘saddleback’ nearly driven to extinction by shells, allowing whalers and the introduction of them to reach rats. No young tortoises on the succulent island were surviving to adulthood, cacti. leaving a population of older individuals ageing their way to extinction. Conservationists took the first step toward saving the species in 1965. More than 50 After the successful eradication of introduced years later, hundreds of young tortoises have been repatriated to black rats on Pinzón, adults from the captive their native volcanic soil on Pinzón, breeding center are flown home. and the species is breeding successfully aerial bait-drop between once more. the Galápagos National Park Directorate and the NGO Island Conservation, the rats were successfully exterminated in 2012. Not Meanwhile two more introduced by whalers, that to dig out of their nests only are tortoises now incredible success stories for well over a century no before the rats could get breeding there unaided, in giant tortoise rescue, babies from the remaining to them. These were then including now-grown largely unsung, have been 125 or so adult tortoises raised for three or four captive raised repatriates, building for many years. survived past their first few years in the Fausto Llerena but in the absence of Pinzón Island, with its own days of life. To counter this tortoise breeding center rats, rare species such as species of saddleback problem, each year for the on Santa Cruz Island, Pinzón racer snakes, land tortoise, Chelonoidis better part of four decades, and returned when large snails, Galápagos vermillion duncanensis, had suffered park rangers painstakingly enough to resist rat attack. flycatchers and Galápagos such an intense plague collected the tortoise eggs Happily, that program drew rails have all rebounded in of ship rats, presumably and new hatchlings ready to a close when, in a joint unprecedented numbers.

BOUNCEBACK Conservation measures to preserve the Pinzón tortoise have also benefitted other rare species such as the Pinzón racer snake (1), Galápagos vermillion flycatchers (2) and Pinzón land snail (3). 1 2 3 Farther south, on Española spread out to reproduce. he soon proved himself that helped save their island the situation seemed An experimental captive to be a super-stud back in species — their true age still even more dire when breeding project was Galápagos. With the first a mystery — were shipped conservation efforts began set up on Santa Cruz, 17 babies returned to a out from the breeding in the mid-1960s. One a program since vastly now goat-free Española centre on Santa Cruz, to of the first actions of the expanded by the in 1975, the program, once again see freedom then newly-established Galápagos National Park running uninterruptedly back on their own island… Charles Darwin Research Directorate. In 1977, a third for over half a century, has Mission Accomplished! Station was to move the male Española tortoise been so successful that In Diego’s case, it is 80 last surviving tortoises was kindly donated to the population, currently years since he last saw from the goat-ravaged the program by the San numbering around 2250 is ‘home’! His retirement island between 1963 and Diego Zoo. Affectionately considered self-sustaining on Española closes an 1974. Only 12 females and dubbed Diego, he had and expanding naturally. important chapter in the two males remained at the already spent 40 years in In June 2020, all 15 of the conservation of Galápagos time, and they were too captivity as an adult. But original Española tortoises giant tortoises.

After more than four decades of captive breeding, the Española giant tortoise has been brought back from the brink of extinction

ABOVE: Diego has been returned to his native Española after decades of captive breeding. He is thought to have fathered 40% Of the 2,250 Española giant tortoises living on the island today.

RIGHT: A Galápagos National Park ranger keeps detailed records beside a tray of tortoise eggs, at Fausto Llerena Tortoise Breeding Centre, Santa Cruz. Few hands-on conservation and it is now looking very kitchen windows to feed programs in the world likely that when it comes old settlers’ chickens, have run so intensely for to the final chapter — it is with joy and awe so many decades with such thanks to the incredible that I was privileged to spectacular results as the efforts of the Ecuadorian photograph the arrival of LEFT: rescue efforts that have government through its ‘Lonesome Georgette’ to turned — or are turning national park mandate, the Fausto Llerena tortoise ‘Lonesome — the tide of fortunes for along with thousands of breeding center, bringing Goergette’, a such iconic species as these scientific and financial fresh hope for her Pinta distant relative Galápagos giants. We’ve supporters around the species. I was 12 when I of the late come a very long way world — only one of the 15 saw my first tortoise in Lonesome since the diligent museum tortoise species collected the wild, but never in my George is gently collectors were urgently by the CAS in 1905-6 (the wildest dreams could I lowered by Wacho Tyapia preparing specimens as the Santa Fe tortoise) will have imagine being a part of TUI DE ROY only hope of preserving a been lost for good. this historic moment. into her new legacy of what once was. For me personally, Lowering Goergette gently enclosure at the History is still being written, remembering the time onto the ground, Wacho Fausto Llerena De Roy’s passion for wildlife and when I was a small child Tapia, director of GTRI breeding centre. the outdoors began when she and giant tortoise remains said hopefully, “She’s still She will be bred was a child and her artist parents were still common among very young and probably to help restore moved the family from Belgium to Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands. food scraps tossed out has 200 years of breeding the near extinct There, De Roy was homeschooled ahead of her!” If Wacho Pinta tortoise. with a focus on the extraordinary has his way, she won’t be nature around her. As she grew ‘lonesome’ for long. older, she spent an increasing amount of time around the scientists and scholars studying the islands, ultimately going on to become the first naturalist guide in the Galapagos

Alcedo Volcano, on Isabela Island, is home to the largest population of giant tortoises. At such densities, tortoises act as ecosystem engineers, maintaining open meadows and digging wallowing rain ponds that can last for months. Contact: This scene evokes the tortoise- dominated landscapes once seen across all Galápagos [email protected] islands. +44 (0)117 9114675