Reviving the Lost

Wildlife biologist and Extinct or Alive host Forrest Galante works to find species previously thought to be extinct.

In the western periphery of the Galapagos Archipelago stands one of the youngest and most pristine sub-tropical islands in the world: Fernandina Island. Despite its sought-after biodiversity, Fernandina Island appears barren due to the island’s sporadic volcanic activity, which results in scarce vegetation. Regardless of the island’s appearance, volcanic activity plays a substantial role in shaping its rugged landscape and adaptive ecosystem. A few of the rugged features that have been adopted by the ecosystem are lava fields and volcanic caves, utilized by lava lizards who thrive in rocky environments, and flightless cormorants who use caves for shelter. Fernandina Island’s terrain has made it difficult for human settlement, which has allowed its ecosystem to remain largely undisturbed, making it a unique destination for scientists and conservationists.

Among these experts is Forrest Galante, a wildlife biologist who revolutionized the search for animals believed to be extinct through his television series Extinct or Alive. In 2019, during the second season premiere, Galante and his crew collaborated with three experts–Washington Tapia Aguilera, a Galápagos native with extensive experience in reptiles; Jeffreys Málaga, a ranger who is familiar with the unique region of the Galapagos Islands; and Cale Rodriguez, a local biologist who had been discussing clues for years that pointed to the possibility that the Fernandina Tortoise (Chelonoidis niger phantasticus) may have been wrongfully deemed extinct.

Their goal: uncover evidence that might suggest that the elusive Fernandina tortoise was in fact not extinct. This subspecies of Galápagos tortoise had not been seen since an expedition in 1906. However, significant findings were made in 1964 by Ross Keister, a scientist who captured photographic evidence of bite marks on a cactus that was too high to be from an iguana, as well as feces that appeared to be from a tortoise. In 2014, Málaga had a similar experience and found feces but was unable to sample it due to permit issues. These experiences led to funding from Animal Planet, allowing the crew to embark on an arduous journey to Fernandina Island.

On the third day of filming Galante met

Málaga and Aguilera, who would assist him throughout the expedition. They embarked on a treacherous trek up a lava field mountain, facing 113-degree heat while carrying heavy scientific equipment. Málaga led the team to the spot where he had found feces four years prior. The team then split up into two groups, with the Galante and film crew in one, and Aguilera and Málaga in the other. The latter group discovered footprints and searched for the tortoise’s food source to track it down.

They used a drone to locate prickly pear cactus, which was a long hike away. Aguilera and Málaga then led the crew back to camp, but Galante tried to locate the cactus found by the drone. After hiking for four hours back to camp in 120-degree heat, Galante made an incredible discovery, discovering a piece of fossilized tortoise shell on the island, more genetic evidence that could be studied.

On the fifth day of filming, during a hike to explore a patch of vegetation, Galante discovered scat that provided genetic proof of a live tortoise on the island. Galante also found a flattened bush that appeared to be from a giant tortoise shell. Suddenly, Aguilera and Málaga stumbled upon a tortoise bedding area, their hearts skipping beats, as they realized the tortoise could be nearby.

After a few tense moments, they spotted the tortoise just a few feet away. “We found the Fernandina Tortoise!” exclaimed Galante, barely containing his excitement while holding the live specimen. The team took measurements and a blood sample, fully aware that this was the only known specimen in existence. Galante and his team then faced a dilemma. As biologists, they believe that this animal belongs in its natural habitat and should not be taken to a facility. On the other hand, the conservationist side of them wanted to transfer the undersized tor- toise to a facility in the hopes of restoring the species to a healthy population. Sending a dingy, the crew safely transferred the tortoise back to the boat. The next day they arrived onshore with the help of Galapagos National Park representatives and carefully transported the tortoise to the Fausto Llerena Breeding Center, placing the tortoise in the hands of experts.

Galante graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2009 with a degree in biology, specializing in herpetology and marine biology. His fascination for wildlife and conservation wasn’t acquired unexpectedly. Galante says, “there’s certainly no specific moment that made me realize I wanted to work in wildlife. That’s been my entire life.”

Born in California, Galante moved to Harare, Zimbabwe, where he spent the majority of his childhood. As a kid, Galante became accustomed to helping maintain his parent’s farm, grasping an understanding of the farm industry. Galante and his sister explored remote parts of Zimbabwe with their mother, Jacaranda Summerfield, who was one of Africa’s first female bush pilots and safari guides, her exploits rubbing off on Galante.

When Galante was 14, he was the youngest person ever to lead an international canoe safari down the Zambezi River. Unfortunately, Galante’s connection to the African wilderness and its beautiful landscape was stripped away in 2001. In an effort to re- settle impoverished black farmers, Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe orchestrated a plan to seize 804 farms, predominantly owned by white farmers. The Galante family promptly fled the country after being threatened at gunpoint and watching neighbors get mercilessly slaughtered. His family returned to California and moved into the small town of Cayucos, with a suitcase each and a couple of hundred dollars, however, Galante worked hard to integrate himself into this new way of life, and with time, he found himself forming strong bonds with the freediving and spearfishing communities. Galante’s passion for spearfishing took him to various countries, where he participated in numerous events and continues to hold six pole spear world records.

During that period in his life, Galante got certified as a SCUBA dive master, a 100ton ship captain, and an emergency medical technician. These varied achievements, including his biology degree, allowed Galante to set sail and explore 46 countries the year following his college graduation, diving with white sharks, wrestling with alligators, and navigating other perilous positions.

Upon his return, Galante continued his high-risk wildlife biology fieldwork and starred in Discovery’s hit show Naked and Afraid in 2014. This opened a lot of doors, but hoped to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, who was part of the team that proved the existence of the coelacanth—a fish species believed to be extinct 60 million years ago. This historical moment, inspired Galante to host his own show, Extinct or Alive, a television series attempting to prove the existence of species that were wrongfully deemed extinct, which has resulted in the rediscovery of 11 animals. Galante hopes to expand the conservation conversation. He says, “the public doesn’t have a very good idea of what conservation on the ground really is at all… the complexity… is people think that there are singular conservation solutions.”

Galante adds, “there’s no such thing as a blanket conservation program” and companies advertise this because “conservation is a little bit of a rat race, and a lot of people are just competing for money, and they care less about the animals and more about their reputation and funding.” His success stems from expanding conversation through the show’s content.

This success has followed Galante onto social media.

“ [I get] hundreds of messages every single day on social media… of people being like, ‘oh, I changed my major to study biology… I’m volunteering at a Wildlife Rehab and volunteering at an animal sanctuary,’” says Galante. “‘I’m 97 years old, but I’ve decided to leave my inheritance, my fortune, to conservation.’ That, for me, is sort of the pinnacle if we can inspire the next generation of people to be more interested and more in tune with nature.”

Galante continues to lead expeditions, while studying all types of wildlife. His dedication to conservation and his goals as an educator have allowed him to garner an audience through numerous conservation organizations and media outlets such as Extinct or Alive, the Ivan Carter Wildlife Conservation Alliance, The Joe Rogan Experience, other in-person interviews, and even led to his own book Still Alive: A Wild Life of Rediscovery, which have established him as a leading voice in the wildlife field. The rediscovery of the Fernandina Tortoise provides hope for the future of endangered species worldwide and serves as a reminder of the critical importance of preserving our planet’s rich biodiversity.

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