Some species of Galapagos tortoises are not extinct forever

Yale scientists report that the genetic traces of extinct Galapagos turtles still exist in descendants that now live in the wild. This finding may precede the breeding program to restore those animals. The report is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

When Darwin first visited Floreana's island in 1835 and wrote about giant tortoises, human exploitation reduced the number of animals by one tenth. In a few decades, 4 of the 15 known species of turtles have completely disappeared. On some islands, turtles were killed for oil to light street lamps Quito and Ecuador. Others are used as food or heavy objects to keep balance for pirate ships or whale boats.

The museum specimen incorporates modern molecular technology, along with 15 years of practical research on turtles on the Galapagos Islands by Gisella Caccone and Jeffrey Powell, drawn by the Department of Evolutionary Ecology and Biology. new picture of the origin and future of some turtles.

Caccone said: 'Connecting the past and present through a number of genetic markers discovered in the museum specimen - including extinct species - is key.'

The data they established includes information from more than 2000 animals - so they know the genetic profile of each group. Their data shows that all species of turtles and classified turtle groups are genetically unique, which allows them to identify animals that genetic information comes from another species.

Hybrid turtle on Volcano Wolf.(Photo: Claudio Ciofi)

Comparing museum specimens and existing species shows distinct strains and hybrids. The team found the tortoises on Volcano Wolf on Isabella island - the most remote island in the archipelago - with both the mitochondrial AND the nucleus of the Floreana

Powel said: 'The turtle community on Volcano Wolf is the most heterogeneous community we've ever known .' He thinks the island is the last stop to lift balance, which is turtles. , of pirate ships and whaling ships on their way to sea, before the turtles are re-assembled, the turtles can walk around and have the opportunity to mate with other species.

Genes of the famous 'Lonesome George' are also found on Volcano Wolf.

The hybrids of the extinct Floreana tortoise can be propagated for a long time to restore this extinct animal. With the above idea, a journey to Volcano Wolf was set in December 2008 to look for turtles carrying Floreana. Complete decoding of the turtle genome is also being carried out to gain a deeper understanding of animals.