Pinta Island tortoises are a species of Galapagos tortoise that were endemic to Pinta Island of Ecuador. Arriving in London, the specimens were described by British zoologist, Albert Gunther in 1877. They were important seed dispersers eating grass, cactus pads, and fruits helping to balace the ecosystem. They rest for about 16 hours and drank large amounts of water and storing it for long periods.
In the 1800s, the tortoises were over-exploited by whalers, fur sealers and others reducing the population to almost zero. The island was in near pristine condition even though it lacked the giant tortoises and it stayed like that until 1959 when fishermen released three goats because they simply wanted fresh meat on their long fishing voyage. The goat population exploded and by 1970, had reached around 40,000. The goats had devastated the region by eating the vegetation and destroyed any good tortoise habitat left.
In the 1800s, the tortoises were over-exploited by whalers, fur sealers and others reducing the population to almost zero. The island was in near pristine condition even though it lacked the giant tortoises and it stayed like that until 1959 when fishermen released three goats because they simply wanted fresh meat on their long fishing voyage. The goat population exploded and by 1970, had reached around 40,000. The goats had devastated the region by eating the vegetation and destroyed any good tortoise habitat left.
LONESOME GEORGE
( 1910-2012 )
The tortoises were thought to be extinct in the early 20th century until 1971 when Hungarian macologist Joszef Vagvolgyi discovered a male tortoise on the island while studying snails. Rangers from the Galapagos National Park brought the tortoise to the Tortoise Center in Santa Cruz in 1972. A short time of his discovery, the American media named it Lonesome George after the TV comedian, George Gobel.
Extensive searches and genetic analyses of any female Pinta Island tortoise in any zoos were unsuccessful. Lonesome George was relatively healthy and estimated to be at over a 100 years old but became severely overweight so at the end of the 1980s, he went on a diet and examined periodically by veterinarians and nutritionists. In 1992, George was put in a new corral so he can be observed by visitors. Two females from the Wolf Volcano population was put in the corral with him. In July of 2008, George mated with one of the females and 13 eggs were placed in incubators. By the end of the year, the eggs failed to hatch. On July 23, 2009, one of the females laid a second clutch of 5 eggs and placed in incubators. By December, the incubation ended and failed. On January 20, 2011, two first generation Espanola tortoises were placed in the corral with George. On June 24, 2012, George was found dead from old age by caretaker Fausto Llerena who took care of him for 40 years. George's body was frozen and shipped to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City to be preserved by taxidermists. |
David Attenbourough starring in a BBC documentary with Lonesome George, 10 days before the tortoise died
Lonesome George exhibited at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City
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