'Lonesome George', the world's last ever Pinta Island giant tortoise, dies age over 100

[ChickenGuy]

I remember hearing about him a while back. They were unable to find any genetically compatible mate for him to breed with. He wasn't the last giant Galapagos tortoise, but he was the last of that particular sub-species.

World loses species with death of Lonesome George - Yahoo! News UK

World loses species with death of Lonesome George

Lonesome George has died, leaving the world one species poorer.

The only remaining Pinta Island tortoise and celebrated conservation icon passed away Sunday, the Galapagos National Park Service said in a statement.

This bit is sad....

Repeated efforts to breed Lonesome George failed.

"Later two females from the Espanola tortoise population (the species most closely related to Pinta tortoises genetically) were with George until the end," the park service said.

An interesting graphic....

 

[ChickenGuy]

Georgy Porgy pudding and pie
Kissed the girls and made them cry
When the boys came out to play
Georgy Porgy ran away

Or, as was told to me in the primary school playground when I was a very little boy

Georgy Porgy pudding and pie
Kissed the girls and made them cry
When the boys came out to play
He kissed them too because he was gay

You know, that MIGHT have been the first EVER time I heard the word 'gay'. I must only have been 8 or 9.

 

[subsonic]

They were unable to find any genetically compatible mate for him to breed with.

Hello - my life!

 

[Castix]

Why can't they just get the DNA from others of the same species and clone them? Scientists are planning that with the wolly mammoth and they were able to extract DNA from a freakin dinosaur so I don't see the issue with the bones of an animal a few hundred years old.

Damn scientists don't know what they're at these days!

 

[Taz]

My ex and I had a special little in joke about lonesome george. I even made him a valentines card in the shape of a tortoise saying "I was a lonesome george before I met you" It sounds stupid but it was pretty special to us. He texted me yesterday telling me george was dead. I almost cried

 

[zoltanspawn]

May there someday be justice for him.

 

[Castix]

My ex and I had a special little in joke about lonesome george. I even made him a valentines card in the shape of a tortoise saying "I was a lonesome george before I met you" It sounds stupid but it was pretty special to us. He texted me yesterday telling me george was dead. I almost cried

That actually sounds a really nice thing you two had shame this had to happen to it