Diego, the Galápagos Giant Tortoise: Saving a Species from Extinction

Author: Darcy Pattison

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In 1963, Ecuador established a national park to protect the Galapagos Islands. When they did a census, scientists found only 14 individuals of the Española Island tortoises. The species was almost extinct. Then, they found one more Española tortoise in the San Diego Zoo. Diego returned to his home island to join over other Española tortoises. Read the story of Diego, the giant Galapagos tortoise who returned home about 100 years after he was captured.

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Pattison offers this dramatic story in accessible prose, using the appropriate scientific vocabulary in an understandable context.

 

This well-crafted success story of a species’ salvation will encourage budding environmentalists. — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

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Zimmerman’s realistic paintings invite readers into the times and places described, animating the tortoises and their saga.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
 

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