Lonesome George – listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the rarest living creature on planet Earth may be about to become a father for the first time at the ripe old age of ninety four (that is an estimate, but it is believed he is between ninety years and a century in age).  As the world holds it breath as the eggs are incubated, let’s take a look at Lonesome George and his quest to reproduce.

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There is the grand old beast – it almost looks as if he had the weight of the world, as well as its hopes, on his shoulders.  George – the sole remaining example of the Galápagos Pinta Tortoise has had the company of two Espanola Tortoise females but until now his attempts to pass his genes on to a new generation have proved fruitless.  However, scientists in the Galapagos Islands noticed that the two Espanolas had laid eggs – five all together – and it is hoped that at least three of the discovered eggs will hatch.

This follows a false start last year when over a dozen eggs were laid but all sadly turned out to be infertile.  However, that in itself was a breakthrough – before that George hadn’t seemed in any great hurry to do it like they do it on the Discovery Channel at all.

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George, taken from Pinta in 1972 for study has had many attempts to encourage him to successfully mate foisted upon him over the decades since then.  However, he has until now remained resolutely unable to produce eggs that are fertile, leading some scientists to suggest that this last Pinta in the world was actually sterile.  Then, last year George, now at his sexual peak, suddenly started showing an interest in the female of (a slightly different) species.  It is hoped that this year’s clutch will provide the breakthrough scientists – and George supporters – have been praying for.

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Conservationists were astounded that LG had finally got his groove back (as it were) and hopes (among other things) were raised that his precious genes would at last be passed on to a new generation.  There is no pressure on George, of course.  How would you feel if you were the ancient Pintan and the information given at the entrance to your enclosure told the world everything in grisly detail?  No, no pressure then.  Darwin must be turning in his grave, though.  When he made the discovery of the turtles, he and his shipmates lived on them during their stay on the islands – no doubt contributing to their eventual (bar one) extinction.  Charles, Charles, Charles!

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The eggs were swiftly taken from the nest in which they were discovered and transferred to incubators.  In order to ensure a gender balance, three of the eggs are being incubated at 29.5 degrees centigrade to ensure females emerge.  The other two are being incubated at 28, in the hope that George Junior will be produced. 

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The reason for the different temperatures is that it is what determines gender in this species, rather than chromosomes.  For obvious reasons, if these eggs hatch then it will be important to have more females than males to hopefully ensure even more eggs in the future.  The enclosure in which the animals are kept and maintained is the penthouse suite of the giant tortoise world, designed to create the perfect conditions for coitus.  They have even flown in nutrition experts from around the world to ensure that the animals are in peak condition for reproduction.  Perhaps now all this work is about to pay off.

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Now the wait begins.  It takes one hundred and twenty days for the eggs of these giant tortoises (George is ninety kilos himself) to incubate and it will not be until that time period has elapsed that the world will know if George is to be a father or not.

Image via Wikipedia

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George, the world is crossing its fingers for you.  As you toddle off, away from the glare of the paparazzi no doubt descending on the Galápagos right now, keep one thing in mind.  No pressure, George, no pressure.

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