The On-Going Legacy of Lonesome George
Quick Facts on Lonesome George:
Diet-
Cactus, shrubs, grasses, and an array of broad-leaved plants
Notable
Traits- An extremely long neck and a saddle-back shell ( this shell was given
its name because the shell rises slightly in front much like a saddle
Weight-
about 165 lbs (males of various species of Galapagos tortoises can exceed 660
lbs)
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| Lonesome George |
His Story:
In 1971, a Hungarian scientist
researching the snails on the Pinta Island, József Vágvölgyi, found a giant
tortoise subspecies presumed extinct. A year later, under the careful eye of
Galapagos Conservationists, the last of the Pinta tortoises was nurtured. Soon,
American tabloids took to the story coining the name “Lonesome George” after
American Comedian George Globel. After housing Lonesome George in a new
Tortoise Center on Santa Cruz, efforts to produce offspring were initiated.
Originally, scientists believed Lonesome George was closely related to the Wolf
Volcano population of Tortoises and two females were shipped to his stall.
However, only one liter of eggs was produced and none survived. A $10,000
reward for a female to mate with Lonesome George was created and two more
tortoises, this time Espanola tortoises, were shipped to Lonesome George. Once again,
no offspring survived. Lonesome George’s weight also became a problem, as
caretakers found he was severely overweight. Thus, the conservation brought in
a team of nutritionists and veterinarians to periodically check up on Lonesome
George and create a personalized diet. On June 24, 2012 at 8:00 am local time,
Lonesome George’s soul ascended in to not-so-tortoise heaven. Fausto Llerena, his caretaker for the
past 40 years, found George stretched toward his watering hole for the last
time.
Was it Murder?
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| Lonesome George's Taxidermy Body |
Impact of Lonesome George:
Though Lonesome George could no longer roam the Earth, his legacy lived through the numerous conservation efforts conducted in his name. One of these efforts was started in the late 1990s, Project Isabela, which was conducted on the Island of Pinta in hopes of eliminating the invasive goats that were diminishing the tortoise population on the island. In 2003, Pinta saw its last goat leave the island. Later, a new project, Project Pinta, was enacted in an effort to restore the ecosystem for giant tortoises to return to the island. Discoveries of hybrid tortoises that appear to be partial descendents of the Pinta tortoises have been spotted on Isabela Island (where whalers and pirates may have moved the tortoises long ago). These offspring could bring about the recovery of a reproductive population on Pinta now that the goats have been eliminated from the island. These are just two examples of conservation efforts that were created under the legacy of Lonesome George who has become an international symbol of species conservation.
To Ponder:
Where do you think Lonesome George's body should have been placed- Quito the capitol of Ecuador or the Charles Darwin Institute.
Was it worth the effort for one tortoise, or should we have let natural selection taken its part and let the last of the Pinta tortoise die without interference?
Similar to the Northern White Rhino (only three left in existence) being poached, the large tortoises were previously hunted by explorers for need of food. I made this reference because the meaning of their extinction was not necessarily natural selection, but being hunted to death. Either way, it is always best to preserve any species the best we can.
ReplyDeleteI think that Lonesome George's body was rightfully placed at the Charles Darwin Institute in Santa Cruz. The Galapagos Islands were George's home, and he should have the right to remain in a familiar place. I definitely think that the efforts to preserve George's species was important and necessary. I think that the world as a whole should work together to preserve the last of any closely extinct species. We share this Earth with many other organisms besides ourselves. In addition, George was such a unique kind of tortoise and getting to meet his descendants would have been extraordinary!
ReplyDeleteI definitely think that we should have cared for and studied for Lonesome George because he was the very last of his species and we want to at least try to keep the Pinta Tortoises alive. The more diverse animals we have the better, and if people may have caused his extinction in any way we are kind of making up for it by trying to fix the situation and saving the species. It's just like protecting and making special laws about other endangered animals. I think that Lonesome George's body should be placed at the Charles Darwin Facility because it was his habitat and a safe place that was educated about his species and did a lot to try and save him. Quito would be nice too I guess, but what if something happened in the big city and his body was damaged; that would be really sad. Since the Pinta Tortoises lived in the Galapagos, that is where George should stay.
ReplyDeleteTaking care of Lonesome George while they still could was definitely the right decision. One of the main goals of Scientists is to learn about the Earth we live on. Learning about Lonesome George and even making an effort to save him and his species while they still could was worth the work because even though they were unsuccessful in the end, it taught us more about this specific type of tortoise while the last one was still alive. Close contact with an animal like this would allow for more information that was more accurate than if they tried to study the bodies of these tortoises after they were already gone. I also agree with their decision to keep him at the Research Center because they were the ones to take care of and appreciate this animal and they should be the ones to tell his story.
ReplyDelete