Scientists will try to revive two species of giant Galapagos tortoises thought to have been extinct by breeding genetic relatives in captivity, experts leading the effort said. The Galapagos Islands, located 1,000 kilometers off Ecuador’s Pacific coast, are famed for the large number of species that have developed there in isolation. New research techniques have revealed that at Wolf volcano on Isabela island, 17 hybrid giant tortoises have been found with genes from the extinct Pinta island tortoise, and about 280 hybrids have been found with genes from the extinct Floreana island tortoise.

Scientists to revive extinct giant Galapagos tortoises. (2013, June 19). The Manila Times, p. B7.