Baby Tortoises Show Up In The Galapagos Islands For The First Time In 100 Years!

If recent events have depressed your spirits, following information should perk you up. On the Galapagos island of Pinzón, newborn tortoises are multiplying for the first time in 100 years.

If recent events have depressed your spirits, following information should perk you up. On the Galapagos island of Pinzón, newborn tortoises are multiplying for the first time in 100 years.

This is tremendous news for a species that has struggled for a century to thrive, relying on humans to raise young tortoises bred in captivity until they are large enough to avoid becoming prey for rats and other predators.

The discovery of normally born young is proof that conservation efforts are contributing to the restoration of the island’s environment, which has been possibly irreparably harmed since the 17th century.

Since their inadvertent entrance to the island aboard infested ships, rats have been the greatest danger to the tortoise population. The rats destroy tortoise nests and consume the eggs and young of numerous island species, causing harm to more than just the tortoise population.

Thankfully, the island of Pinzón, which is home to the young tortoises, was proclaimed rat-free in 2012, and the positive effects are already visible.

It’s encouraging to see the results of conservation initiatives so fast. The population of tortoises has increased from from 150 in 1959 to nearly 500 presently. Celebration is absolutely warranted, but there is still much work to be done. And it is never too late to lend support.