After Nearly Going Extinct, Famed Giant Tortoises Return to the Galápagos Islands
The Galápagos Giant Tortoise (Chelonoidis niger) is an iconic creature that is native to the Galápagos Islands. Despite the fact that the islands they live on were named after them, seeing Galápagos Giant Tortoises in their home has been a rare occurrence for many years. Due to a mix of excessive hunting, habitat loss, and introduction of invasive species by colonists, the tortoises nearly went extinct. Thankfully, their luck seems to be changing.