Fausto Llerena Breeding Center

About the site

Fausto Llerena Breeding Center

The Fausto Llerena Breeding Center, part of the Charles Darwin Research Station complex in Puerto Ayora, is where the Galápagos National Park breeds and raises giant tortoises to return them to the islands where they belong. It is named after Fausto Llerena, the park ranger who cared for Lonesome George for some forty years.

A short walk on flat paths takes you through every stage of the program: the incubators where eggs collected in the wild are hatched, the nurseries where the tiny tortoises are raised, and the pens where they grow until they are four to six years old, strong enough to be released. Since the program began in 1965, more than 9,000 tortoises bred in captivity have been returned to the wild, helping to save species such as the Española tortoise from extinction. Adult tortoises of several species can be seen in the larger enclosures, where it is easy to compare saddle-backed and dome-shaped shells.

The center also houses the exhibit of Lonesome George, the last tortoise of Pinta Island, who died in 2012 and became a symbol of conservation worldwide; he is preserved in a climate-controlled room.

The visit is easy and suits every traveler, and is often followed by free time in Puerto Ayora.

Highlights

• Giant Tortoises