Land Iguanas "Reborn" on Galapagos after Nearly 200 Years of Extinction

Almost 200 years after Charles Darwin first noted them, land iguanas that had been extinct from an island in the Galapagos for generations have returned.

Thousands of land iguanas were reintroduced to Santiago Island, which was once extinct and is now listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Data shows that the iguanas are reproducing on the island once more. Almost 200 years later, land iguanas are reborn on Santiago Island, according to a statement from Galapagos National Park.

Through monitoring, specialists from the Galapagos National Park as well as scientific advisors confirmed that nearly 200 years after their last appearance, Conolophus subcristatus, land iguanas are once more found on Santiago Island.

What 3,143 Specimens Can Do

According to the statement, 3,143 of these specimens were released three years ago to re-establish the island's ecosystem.

The fact that the team searched an area of about 36 sq. km and discovered new, different-aged individuals indicates that this species is successfully reproducing.

The iguanas were examined physically, their height and weight were recorded, and the new individuals were measured and marked to be recognized later.

On Santiago Island, there is once again a sizable thriving population of land iguanas, including adults, juveniles, and neonates, according to Danny Rueda Cordova, the director of the Galapagos National Park.

This is a significant conservation accomplishment that raises our expectations for the restoration of islands that have been badly harmed by introduced species.

As a group with environmental authority, they will keep carrying out activities that let them get close to the ecological integrity of the island's ecosystem.

Luis Ortiz-Catedral, head of the expedition, said that iguana distribution has already resulted in positive changes for the island, including the opening of paths, removal of soil, dispersal of seeds, and other effects like altered population dynamics and increased food availability. In a few more years, endemic species like hawks will become visible.

The Isabella Project, which aimed to eradicate feral goats and pigs, was carried out on Santiago Island, in 2002, according to the statement.

Over time, the ecosystem started to recover and provided the right conditions for a population of land iguanas, the same species as the one that had previously gone extinct in the area.

Nearly 200 Years Since Darwin

The Directorate of the Galapagos National Park collaborated on the ecological assessment of the land iguana population in Santiago. This includes Wild, Island Conservation, Galapagos Conservation Trust, Galapagos Conservancy, and Fundacion Jocotoco.

The Park cited Darwin's observation that Santiago Island was home to numerous land iguanas of various ages in 1835.

However, subsequent expeditions by the California Academy of Sciences, between roughly 1903 and 1906, failed to discover any live specimens on the island.

The tortoise, known in Spanish as "galapagos," was almost completely wiped out by seafarers who hunted them for food. Likewise, sailors introduced rats as well as goats and pigs for food in earlier times, Newsweek reports.