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They find in Galapagos a species of turtle that was believed extinct for more than a century
Posted On 20 Feb 2019
Ecuadornews:
The mythical giant tortoise species that was endemic to the Fernandina Island of the Galápagos Archipelago and was believed to have been extinct for more than 100 years has been rediscovered.
The Minister of the Environment, Marcelo Mata, confirmed it in a tweet. An expedition with specialists from the Galapagos National Park and the non-governmental organization Galápagos Conservancy located a specimen (adult female) of Chelonoidis Phantasticus.
NOTICIA MUNDIAL | En la isla Fernandina – #Galápagos, la expedición liderada por @parquegalapagos y @SaveGalapagos, localizaron un espécimen (hembra adulta) de la especie de tortuga Chelonoidis Phantasticus, que se creía extinta hace más de 100 años. pic.twitter.com/51HbqWcwMG
— Marcelo Mata (@Marcelo_MataG) 19 de febrero de 2019
The specimen is of the same species that before 2018 was cataloged with the scientific name of Chelonoidis phantastica, which was believed to have been extinct since 1906.
Even the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) considered it officially extinct.
In a 1964 expedition, turtle excrement was found in Fernandina, but not a specimen of the species until now.
Fernandina is the third largest island of the Galápagos archipelago and is the westernmost.
In Galapagos there are 11 giant tortoise species: 5 in Isabela, 1 in San Cristóbal, 2 in Santa Cruz, one in Española, one in Pinzón and one in Santiago.
The one of Fernandina is the unique unit found at the moment what remembers the Solitaire George that passed away without leaving descendants in June of the 2012 and with it was declared like extinct.
The Galapagos National Park plans to give more details about this rediscovery tomorrow, February 20. (I)
