The Galapagos giant tortoise Chelonoidis phantasticus is not extinct

Evelyn L. Jensen; Stephen J. Gaughran; Nicole A. Fusco; Nikos Poulakakis; Washington Tapia; Christian Sevilla; Jeffreys Málaga; Carol Mariani; James P. Gibbs; Adalgisa Caccone

doi:10.1038/s42003-022-03483-w

Communications Biology (Jun 2022)

The Galapagos giant tortoise Chelonoidis phantasticus is not extinct

Evelyn L. Jensen,
Stephen J. Gaughran,
Nicole A. Fusco,
Nikos Poulakakis,
Washington Tapia,
Christian Sevilla,
Jeffreys Málaga,
Carol Mariani,
James P. Gibbs,
Adalgisa Caccone

Affiliations

Evelyn L. Jensen: School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University
Stephen J. Gaughran: Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University
Nicole A. Fusco: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University
Nikos Poulakakis: Department of Biology, School of Sciences and Engineering, University of Crete
Washington Tapia: Galapagos Conservancy
Christian Sevilla: Conservation and Restoration of Insular Ecosystems Department, Galapagos National Park Directorate
Jeffreys Málaga: Conservation and Restoration of Insular Ecosystems Department, Galapagos National Park Directorate
Carol Mariani: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University
James P. Gibbs: Galapagos Conservancy
Adalgisa Caccone: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-022-03483-w
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 5, no. 1
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

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Based on genomic data, the Galapagos giant tortoise species native to Fernandina Island appears to be alive and well, survived by at least one female after being considered extinct since 1906.

Published in Communications Biology

ISSN: 2399-3642 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science: Biology (General)
Website: https://www.nature.com/commsbio/

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