100 things challenge - 20: Lonesome George
Lonesome George was a Pinta Island tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra abingdonii), a subspecies of the Galápagos tortoise native to Pinta Island in Equador. He is believed to have been the last remaining member of his subspecies and was thereby one of the rarest creatures on earth.
In the mid-20th century, the subspecies was already believed to be extinct due to hunting and the distruction of Pinta Island's habitat by goats. But in 1971 a single male was discovered on Pinta Island. Lonesome George was brought to live at the Charles Darwin Research station at the Galápagos island of Santa Cruz. Efforts were made to mate George with females of closely related species. Though a few females have laid eggs, none has hatched. Lonesome George died on the 24th of June, 2012. He is believed to have been over 100 years old, but this is not extremely old for a Galápagos tortoise.
In the mid-20th century, the subspecies was already believed to be extinct due to hunting and the distruction of Pinta Island's habitat by goats. But in 1971 a single male was discovered on Pinta Island. Lonesome George was brought to live at the Charles Darwin Research station at the Galápagos island of Santa Cruz. Efforts were made to mate George with females of closely related species. Though a few females have laid eggs, none has hatched. Lonesome George died on the 24th of June, 2012. He is believed to have been over 100 years old, but this is not extremely old for a Galápagos tortoise.