28 Jun 2010

Giant tortoises re-established on island

6:00 am on 28 June 2010

A healthy population of giant tortoises has been re-established on one of the Galapagos islands in the Pacific Ocean, after being threatened with extinction.

Goats introduced by sailors as a source of food stripped vegetation from the island of Espanola.

When they were finally eradicated in the 1970s, there were only 15 tortoises left on the island.

But a new survey by scientists shows 1500 tortoises now living there, due to a re-population project.