In a world where we are constantly hearing about animals going extinct, it is nice to hear the opposite side every once in a while. This animal was spotted in the wild for the first time in over a century. Wildlife observers everywhere are excited about the sighting and for good reason. The giant tortoise was re-discovered recently. The photos are absolutely incredible.
The Giant Tortoise Restoration Initiative is excited about the sighting, as well. They have been working tirelessly to stem the tide of extinction. The find is believed to be one of the most important of the century. There is now hope that the species could return to prominence. Fortunately, no official declaration has been made regarding their extinction.
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) February 19, 2019
The last sighting of a giant male tortoise took place back in 1906. While there have been no sightings since, there were signs that the tortoise was still residing on the land. Bite marks and tortoise droppings were often found. This gave locals the hope that they needed. The tortoises were not about to place themselves in plain sight, however.
All of that is changing now. A female giant tortoise was spotted in the wild. She was located on the island of Fernandina, to be exact. Animal Planet funded this expedition. Researchers were more than happy to share their findings with the rest of the world, too. The old girl might not be a spring chicken by any stretch but she is still very much alive.
The emotions that these researchers are feeling are tough to describe. They tried their best to put these emotions to the side and spend time with the giant tortoise. As you may have expected, she was rather timid at first. She had not been around people and had no clue what was going on. The tortoise has since been relocated to a different facility.
She will now live on a neighboring island at a breeding facility. In the meantime, researchers will continue their search for additional tortoise in the area. Hopefully, they will also find a suitable mate for her. She deserves all of the happiness that the world has to offer. We can only hope that other species are also able to make a return from the brink of extinction over the course of time. Please be sure to pass this story along to your closest friends and loved ones, to raise awareness.
