There are two populations of giant tortoises on the island-a large population on the west side in an area known as the “Reserve” and another on the lower eastern slopes around a hill named “Cerro Fatal”.
Advertisement
Research began in 2002 when two scientists thought that “due to the formation of the shell, these tortoises should belong to a different species”.
A team of Ecuadoran and global scientists said Wednesday they have identified a new giant tortoise species on the Galapagos islands. However, genetic analyses have now revealed that they are actually separate species: “the Western Santa Cruz Tortoise (Chelonoidis porteri) and the newly-named Eastern Santa Cruz Tortoise (Chelonoidis donfaustoi) have been reproductively isolated from one another for a long time”. “But we now know that they are as distinct as any species of tortoise in the archipelago”. At Virginia Commonwealth University and Yale University, he was a postdoctoral researcher.
An Eastern Santa Cruz tortoise is pictured on Santa Cruz Island. Their discovery has been brought to the attention and conservationists.
The archipelago is reportedly home to other huge species of tortoise.
Interesting facts on Galapagos giant tortoise. It also turned out that the new identified species have less in common when it comes to genetics, with the islands’ main tortoise colony, and it is closer to a tortoise species thriving on the other surrounding islands. The worrying small number placed them on the brink of extinction, but they were saved through conservation efforts. It’s a true testament of the possible success of conservational and environmental groups.
Advertisement
Ryan C. Garrick, of Mississippi’s University biologist, is a member of the team that recently announced the discovery of a new species of the Galapagos giant tortoise.
