The Last of His Species, Lonesome George Finally Mates

Lonesome George, the last remaining giant Galapagos tortoise of his species and an international conservation icon, may have finally mated, after years of coaxing by scientists. George, a Pinta Island tortoise, has shown little interest in mating throughout his 36 years of captivity, despite being at his reproductive prime of 60 and 90 years old. So park rangers were stunned recently when they found several eggs in a nest in a pen that George shares with two females of a related species. The rangers placed the eggs in an incubator, and they should hatch in about four months. Pinta Island, the northernmost in the Galapagos chain, once had a thriving population of giant tortoises, but they were hunted to virtual extinction for their prized meat. Lonesome George is the sole survivor. The distinct differences among the tortoises of the different islands of the Galapagos were noted by naturalist Charles Darwin and influenced him as he formulated his theory of evolution.