Ancient DNA gives green light to Galapagos Land Iguana repatriation

Land Iguanas, Conolophus subcristatus, were extirpated from Isla Baltra, Galapagos Archipelago in the 1940s. Historical records indicate that some Baltra iguanas were translocated to nearby Isla Seymour Norte in the 1930s. Plans to repatriate iguanas to Baltra were suspended when evidence suggested that iguanas on Seymour Norte may not be entirely of Baltra origin. Comparison of DNA from century-old museum specimens with extant iguanas has identified those individuals of unambiguous Baltra origin on Seymour Norte. These results provide scientific criteria for the ecological restoration of these endangered reptiles.