It always saddens me when I hear that another species is endangered or extinct. Conversely, it makes me happy when we discover that a species is not actually extinct, as is the case with a specific species of tortoise from the Galapagos Islands.
Considering that the tortoises all probably look the same to the untrained, it’s not surprising scientists thought this species was gone when it disappeared from the island it lived on. It is a happy discovery to find the offspring of the species (mixed breed) on another island. Apparently, they just moved (or were moved by humans, anyway).
Tags: darwin, gallapagos islands, tortoise species not extinct