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Related: About this forumBaby Tortoises Born on Galapagos Islands for First Time in 150 Years
Baby Tortoises Born on Galapagos Islands for First Time in 150 Years
Environment
17:53 20.01.2015(updated 18:17 20.01.2015)
The species has been listed as endangered and protected by the Ecuadorian government since 1970.
MOSCOW, January 20 (Sputnik) For the first time in 150 years, conservationists on Galapagos Islands have discovered hatchlings of giant tortoises, an endangered species protected by the Ecuadorian government, according to a report published in the Nature Journal.
The publication stated that scientists had found 10 baby tortoises on the Galapagos Island of Pinzón. However, researches assume that the number of the hatchlings could be much higher.
I suspect there were 100 to 300, said Dr. James Gibbs, from the State University of New Yorks College of Environmental Science and Forestry.
The discovery is a great achievement for conservationists, as they have been struggling for the species preservation for several decades.
The population of giant tortoises has been endangered for almost a century and a half as rapacious black rats plundered nearly all of their eggs. Until 2012, when conservationists made an attempt to get rid of the importunate animals and a helicopter covered the region with poisoned rat bait, tortoises were on the brink of extinction. In 2015, however, all the rats seem to have been wiped out from the area.
More:
http://sputniknews.com/environment/20150120/1017136025.html
Suich
(10,642 posts)A friend just got back from there and couldn't stop talking about the tortoises!
Great news!
Beartracks
(12,809 posts)shenmue
(38,506 posts)If'n u know whut I mean.
muriel_volestrangler
(101,311 posts)Their ship, loaded with three helicopters and almost 100 tonnes of poisoned rat bait, sets sail from the Falkland Islands.
The project has been under way for more than five years. This is the last of three bait-spreading stages.
...
The team estimates that rats have wiped out more than 90% of the seabirds on South Georgia.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-30922255
It's about 1000 square kilometres in total.