Slow and steady wins the race! This week, after years of selective breeding aimed at recovering the giant tortoises of Floreana, a keystone species that was considered functionally extinct for more than 180 years, 158 tortoises were released on Floreana Island. This action is part of the Ecological Restoration of Floreana Project, led by the Ecuadorean Ministry of Environment and Energy through the Galapagos National Park Directorate, in association with Galapagos Conservancy, fundacion.jocotoco, charlesdarwinfoundation and islandconservation. The project, supported in part by the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Fund, was launched in 2012 as a combined effort to restore the vibrant biodiversity of Floreana Island and repair the ecological damage resulting from invasive species introduced by human settlers. The release of these tortoises is a major milestone for ecological restoration and rewilding efforts in the Galápagos and is a testament to the team’s hard work and dedica...