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Nature & Environment

Last Pinta giant tortoise has died

By T.K. Randall
June 26, 2012 · Comment icon 52 comments

Image Credit: CC 2.0 putneymark
Thought to be around 100 years old, Lonesome George was the last Pinta giant tortoise known to exist.
As the only member of his subspecies, George was considered to be the rarest animal in the world. He was kept at the Galapagos National Park in Ecuador and despite concerted efforts by environmentalists was never able to produce offspring. His keeper of 40 years, Fausto Llerena, found him dead in his corral; a post-mortem will be carried out in an attempt to determine the cause of death.

A symbol of the Galapagos islands for decades, George's body will be preserved for future generations. A population of around 20,000 other subspecies of giant tortoise still live on the islands.
Staff at the Galapagos National Park in Ecuador say Lonesome George, a giant tortoise believed to be the last of its subspecies, has died. Scientists estimate he was about 100 years old.


Source: BBC News | Comments (52)




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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #43 Posted by Hybrid89 12 years ago
rip big man!
Comment icon #44 Posted by Super-Fly 12 years ago
ahh well, another proud moment for the human race. one more species wiped off the map!
Comment icon #45 Posted by Tx-Perkyness 12 years ago
ahh well, another proud moment for the human race. one more species wiped off the map! Most would find that offensive, sadly its very accurate. I'm betting a lot of people will forget about George in less than a month
Comment icon #46 Posted by Super-Fly 12 years ago
Most would find that offensive, sadly its very accurate. I'm betting a lot of people will forget about George in less than a month Offensive?
Comment icon #47 Posted by Junior Chubb 12 years ago
Offensive? Embarrassing?
Comment icon #48 Posted by Super-Fly 12 years ago
Embarrassing? Whats going on!?
Comment icon #49 Posted by Junior Chubb 12 years ago
Whats going on!? Sorry Super-Fly, didn't mean to confuse you. I was suggesting if you swapped the word that you questioned ('offensive') with the word 'embarrassing' then Tx-Perkyness' post might make more sense to you... 'Most would find that embarrassing, sadly its very accurate. I'm betting a lot of people will forget about George in less than a month' or We should be embarrassed by the fact that man may have contributed to the extinction of another species. I would say we leave it open to suggestion what word is best suited to replace 'offensive', but this thread is as dead as George now..... [More]
Comment icon #50 Posted by Super-Fly 12 years ago
Sorry Super-Fly, didn't mean to confuse you. I was suggesting if you swapped the word that you questioned ('offensive') with the word 'embarrassing' then Tx-Perkyness' post might make more sense to you... 'Most would find that embarrassing, sadly its very accurate. I'm betting a lot of people will forget about George in less than a month' or We should be embarrassed by the fact that man may have contributed to the extinction of another species. I would say we leave it open to suggestion what word is best suited to replace 'offensive', but this thread is as dead as George now... i see what you ... [More]
Comment icon #51 Posted by Still Waters 12 years ago
Update - Lonesome George could be resurrected after cells are frozen by scientists http://www.telegraph...scientists.html
Comment icon #52 Posted by Eldorado 12 years ago
Update - Lonesome George could be resurrected after cells are frozen by scientists Rampant George? (lol)


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