Conservationists are hoping that a discovery of a giant tortoise on Fernandina island in the Galápagos chain might belong to a species thought to be extinct-and they're determined to look for others.

On a recent expedition to the island conducted by the Giant Tortoise Restoration Initiative (GTRI), researchers discovered the 100-year-old female tortoise which they believe could be from the Chelonoidis phantasticus species.

They transported the tortoise to a Santa Cruz breeding center and will be sending a blood sample to Yale University that will help to confirm the correct species.

Meanwhile, researchers have vowed to explore the island so they can track down other possible survivors as a means of restoring the tortoise species and ensuring its survival for generations to come.

"This encourages us to strengthen our search plans to find other turtles, which will allow us to start a breeding program in captivity to recover this species," said Danny Rueda, director of the Galápagos National Park.

BREAKING NEWS! GC's own @wacho_tapia just returned from Fernandina Island in #Galapagos, where they discovered a female #tortoise. Tortoises on Fernandina have been thought to be extinct for over 100 years, so this is a monumental finding! Photos © GNPD, W. Tapia pic.twitter.com/fhQpIzsHmM

— GalapagosConservancy (@SaveGalapagos) February 20, 2019

BREAKING NEWS! GC's own @wacho_tapia just returned from Fernandina Island in #Galapagos, where they discovered a female #tortoise. Tortoises on Fernandina have been thought to be extinct for over 100 years, so this is a monumental finding! Photos © GNPD, W. Tapia pic.twitter.com/fhQpIzsHmM

CORRECTION: We previously identified the tortoise as a confirmed Fernandina species, due to a faulty translation of government announcements written in Espaí±ol.

Be Sure And Share The Good News With Your Friends On Social Media - Photo by Ecuador's Ministry of the Environment