Extinct giant tortoises return to Floreana after 200 years of absence

Giant tortoises are walking on the Galápagos island of Floreana for the first time in over 200 years. Their return follows a long breeding programme that revived a lineage once thought extinct. Meanwhile, global health has seen other key advances, from new disease-fighting vaccines to legal victories for menstrual equity.

The Floreana giant tortoise was believed lost until 2000, when a hybrid with Floreana ancestry was found on Isabela Island. Scientists then launched a selective breeding programme to increase Floreana traits in offspring. After years of effort, 158 young tortoises—aged between eight and 13—were released onto Floreana in February 2024. Their presence aims to restore ecological processes that other species rely on, part of a wider initiative to revive the island's ecosystem.

Elsewhere, the World Health Organization reported that next-generation flu vaccines in development could prevent up to 6.2 million deaths by 2050. Libya also eliminated trachoma, the leading infectious cause of blindness, becoming the latest country to defeat the disease.

Legal progress has been made too. India's Supreme Court ruled that menstrual hygiene is a fundamental right, requiring schools to provide free period products to girls. In Wales, a new Homelessness and Social Housing Allocation Bill was passed to offer early support for those at risk of losing their homes. The law arrives as homelessness in Wales reaches record levels, with nearly 13,300 households affected last year.

The return of giant tortoises to Floreana marks a milestone for conservation after two centuries of absence. Legal and medical breakthroughs, from India's menstrual equity ruling to Libya's trachoma victory, show progress in public health and social welfare. These developments reflect ongoing efforts to address ecological, medical, and housing challenges worldwide.