Our vacation and the Galapagos Tortoise Alliance

[tortgiant]

Steve, We have pure genetics and tortoises to work with 4 species so far identified by genetics in the group. I have shown examples of all 4 in my post above. Chelonoidis porteri, C. becki, C. vicina, and C. microphyes. Although we have breeders and potential breeders, we do lack genetic diversity. In most cases there are only 1 or 2 other know pure breeders of that species in the world outside of the Galapagos Islands.

What I have gathered that recently amongst others some Chelonoidis porteri and Chelonoidis microphyes have been shared more widely with the private breeder community through transfers and loans.

I am not sure if that is a change of policy from before within AZA or how individual zoos from within the AZA network and private broeders do now cooperate more effectively with managing populations of these rare tortoise species.