Conservationists working around the largest volcano on the Galápagos Islands say they have found 30 giant tortoises partially descended from two extinct species, including that of the famed Lonesome George.
The Galápagos national park and Galápagos Conservancy said one young female had a direct line of descent from the Chelonoidis abingdonii species of Pinta island. The last of those tortoises was Lonesome George, who died in June 2012 and was believed to be more than 100 years old.
Another 11 males and 18 females were from the Chelonoidis niger line of Floreana island.
The 45-member expedition was working around the Wolf volcano on Isabela island. It said pirates and whalers had taken tortoises from other islands in the archipelago and left them near the volcano.
Those found during the latest expedition were hybrids descended from both the extinct and other species.
The Galápagos is a volcanic archipelago and province of Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean. The islands, whose variety of endemic species helped inspire Charles Darwin, were home to 15 closely related species of tortoise, according to the Conservancy, which estimates that 20,000-25,000 wild tortoises live there. At least four of the species are considered extinct.