#galapagoes

[hope-for-the-planet]

Galápagos park releases 158 juvenile hybrid tortoises on Floreana to restore the ecosystem

Giant tortoises have returned to Floreana Island in Ecuador's Galapagos archipelago as conservationists release 158 juvenile hybrids to rest

From the article:

Nearly 150 years after the last giant tortoises were removed from Floreana Island in Ecuador’s Galápagos archipelago, the species made a comeback Friday, when dozens of juvenile hybrids were released to begin restoring the island’s depleted ecosystem. The 158 newcomers, aged 8 to 13, have begun exploring the habitat they are destined to reshape over the coming years. Their release was perfectly timed with the arrival of the season’s first winter rains. “They are large enough to be released and can defend themselves against introduced animals such as rats and cats,” said Fredy Villalba, director of the Galápagos National Park breeding center on Santa Cruz Island, noting that the best specimens with the strongest lineage were selected specifically for Floreana. These released juvenile specimens, out of a total of 700 planned for Floreana, will be introduced gradually. According to Christian Sevilla, director of ecosystems of the Galapagos National Park, they carry between 40% and 80% of the genetic makeup of the Chelonoidis niger —a species that has been extinct for 150 years. [...] Floreana resident Verónica Mora described the release of the turtles as a dream come true. “We are seeing the reality of a project that began several years ago,” she said, adding that the community feels immense pride in the return of the giant tortoises.

[animalworld]

BLACK SEA TURTLE Chelonia mydas agassizi ©Laura Quick

Black sea turtles tend to be smaller than green turtles, but can still weigh up to 300 pounds and reach 4 feet in length! Also, black sea turtles are the only sea turtle known to nest in the Galapagos Islands – most of their nesting occurs in Central America, Mexico and the Galapagos.

The black turtle has a similar diet to that of the green sea turtle. As grazers, both types of sea turtle eat algae, sea grasses and mangrove shoots. Additionally, they will both occasionally eat small fish, jellyfish and other invertebrates.

Current Research Current DNA research indicates a close genetic relationship between the two types of sea turtle. Based on this evidence, they are classified as the same species.  However, due to their differences, some experts consider the black sea turtle to be a sub-species of the green sea turtle, while other experts consider the black sea turtle to be its own species – so this question has yet to be answered. source

[fyeah-seacreatures-blog]

The much-maligned marine iguanas of the Galápagos Islands are so famously homely, even Charles Darwin piled on, describing them as "hideous-looking" and "most disgusting, clumsy lizards." Scientists figure that land-dwelling iguanas from South America must have drifted out to sea millions of years ago on logs or other debris, eventually landing on the Galápagos. From that species emerged marine iguanas, which spread to nearly all the islands of the archipelago. Each island hosts marine iguanas of unique size, shape and color.