Can We Save the Last Tortoise From Becoming Extinct?
Giant Galapagos tortoises are almost extinct. One of the last survivors of the species, Lonesome George, the 70-year old Galapagos Islands giant tortoise might soon become a father.
99,9% of all species that ever lived, have already become extinct. Why has this happened? They haven’t died with a bang, crushed under a meteorite or vaporised by a comet. The last mass extinction event, the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event killing the Dinosaurs happened as long ago as 65 million years ago.
Human callousness is directly responsible for many of these extinctions. Humans typically cause species to become extinct through destroying natural habitat, introducing strange new predators, excessive pollution, overharvesting, and overhunting.
Giant Galapagos tortoises are almost extinct. One of the last survivors of the species, Lonesome George, the 70-year old Galapagos Islands giant tortoise thought to be the last of his kind, might soon become a father. In his mid-seventies, Lonesome George is only middle aged as giant tortoises go. The average life expectancy of a Galapagos giant tortoise is estimated to be 150-200 years.
According to an announcement by the Galapagos National Park, a female tortoise that has been “dating” George since 1993 laid three intact eggs. These eggs are being cared for in an artificial incubator.
The female is not exactly the same phenotype as Lonesome George but belongs to the nearest existing phenotype to that of Lonesome George who was found in 1972 on Pinta Island of the Galapagos Archipelago.
The Galápagos giant tortoise is the largest living tortoise, inhabiting nine islands of the Galápagos archipelago. Adults of large subspecies can weigh over 300 kilograms (660 lb) and measure 1.2 meters (4 ft) long.
The Galápagos Islands are in the west of Ecuador in South America. The shape of the carapace or shell covering the dorsal part of a tortoise reminded the Spanish explorers of a kind of saddle they called a “galápago,” and for these saddle-shaped tortoises they named the archipelago.
There were only 250, 000 tortoises of different subspecies inhabiting the islands when they were discovered by Europeans. Whalers and pirates killed them for food mostly in the 18th and 19th centuries. Another factor decimating the tortoise population was goats. Non-native species such as goats introduced on some islands destroyed the vegetation that provides the tortoises’ diet.
What made the Galápagos tortoise such an easy victim in spite of its protective shield than can withstand bullets?
The Galápagos tortoise or turtle was very easy to catch and once caught they couldn’t move and escape if they were turned on their backs. In the days before refrigerators, they were the best source of fresh meat on ships. In addition to the meat, their diluted urine could also be used as drinking water.
Lonesome George tried for 36 years to break the curse of his name and reproduce. Doctors can tell only after approximately 120 days if the eggs can produce babies.
So let’s send loving thoughts to Lonesome George and the unnamed female tortoise so that they produce healthy babies. At least one endangered and peaceful species will not become extinct.
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17 Responses to “Can We Save the Last Tortoise From Becoming Extinct?”
On July 25, 2008 at 11:01 am
Very interesting article. I’ll pray that Lonesome George gets babies and the species doesn’t become extinct.
On July 25, 2008 at 11:27 am
Interesting article.
On July 26, 2008 at 12:18 am
Really a good work..
On July 26, 2008 at 8:17 am
very good article and well written.
On July 26, 2008 at 9:38 pm
Let’s fry up those eggs for a tasty breakfast!!
Signed,
Your typical human
On July 29, 2008 at 7:12 am
This is sad, and I hope the eggs hatch..
On August 3, 2008 at 9:08 am
Hope that the eggs hatch properly and the species doesn’t become extinct.
On August 12, 2008 at 10:02 am
Interesting. Hope that babies is born.
On October 3, 2008 at 4:20 am
Interesting and very informative.
On January 10, 2009 at 9:07 pm
wow the most rare animal amazing he has a long life line and has good health so if they dont hatch they can always try again.
On January 12, 2009 at 8:01 pm
I would like to buy one.
On March 22, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Well, your first paragraph was pretty misleading, because the Earth was made 2.6 billion years ago. Lots of things have lived on it. Do you expect all of the to survive? THat “99.9%” statistic does not make sense, comparing it to how long humans have lived on Earth. Then, you need to take into account that not until possibly several centuries ago until we seriously inflicted damage to the habitats of animals.
There are 14 different freaking species of Galapagos Tortoises. 3 are extinct. Lonesome George is the last one of ONE of the 14, and there are still relatively many more. They are enlisted as endangered, because there are under 15,000 left, OVERALL. Your post sucks, but for people who don’t know the facts, it’s awesome. Pure awesome.
On March 23, 2009 at 4:16 am
Thanks everyone for your gracious comments.
‘Person’ - I stand chastised for not mentioning the name of the subspecies ‘Lonesome George’ belongs to and the other subspecies. Thanks for your comments and suggestions. It is true that 15 000 tortoises are alive, but they are not of the same subspecies as Lonesome George.
Experts disagree on whether there were twelve or fifteen Galapagos Tortoises but eleven have survived. Lonesome George belongs to subspecies Geochelone nigra abingdoni, one of eleven subspecies found on Galapagos Island according to Henry Nicholls - http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/henry/
I took the age of the earth as 4,5 billion years from the US Geological survey site http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/geotime/age.html Compared to that and considering the number of major extinction level events, humans haven’t been around for long and our ability to alter creation in the bigger picture is rather puny though we seem to be doing a great job with our traffic and industrial pollution.
On March 23, 2009 at 4:37 pm
I want to drink its urine!
Good article! (I cant spell)
How many of those tortoises really exist?
(I would like to know).
I want to seen a picture of tortoises from the triassic age!
On March 23, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Mentioned in my name :).
On March 23, 2009 at 6:24 pm
Damn. This is such a terrible article. I want to just kill these tortoises. My friend who’s grandfather ate a tortoise, said it was one of the best thing he ever tasted. VEgeterian , I would gladly take his share.
On April 7, 2009 at 8:49 pm
I am sad because i visited lonesome George and the guide said the eggs did not make it. He has two females but is not very interested in them.haha
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