Beer Can Hill

Lonesome George is the most famous Giant Galapagos Tortoise in the world. He lives in a wildlife park with many other giant tortoises. He is between 80 and 90 years of age and reportedly in good health.

Lonesome George was discovered by a snail biologist named Joseph Vagvolgyi in 1971. Pinta Island’s vegetation had been destroyed by goats. George was taken to the Charles Darwin Research Station in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island.

Unfortunately, Lonesome George is the only surviving Pinta Island Tortoise (Geochelone nigra abingdoni), a subspecies of the Galapagos Giant Tortoises.

Pinta Island (or “Saddle-backed”) Tortoises are extinct in the wild and Lonesome George’s attempts to mate with females of other subspecies have not resulted in any known living offspring.

Prince Charles meets George & pals.

In the past week alone Lonesome George has been visited by Prince Charles and Richard Gere!

Richard Gere with George & park staff.

Lonesome George has been subjected to a lot of drama thanks to humankind and I have to wonder if he is trying to purposely make his species extinct! This BBC video shares examples of how humans have annoyed Lonesome George:

More video footage of Lonesome George is available at National Geographic’s site and here on YouTube.

I am willing to bet that if scientists ever succeed in cloning or otherwise reproducing George’s species they will then have more tortoises who are not interested in mating. I would like to meet Lonesome George in my lifetime. I promise that I will not harass him about breeding because I know how it feels!