The Last of His Kind: The Lamented Life of Lonesome George
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 12. 2.08
Photo by Lena Tashjian
Lonesome George slovenly lumbers out of the brush in his compound, painstakingly climbs the minor incline up to his pool, and collapses. The famed giant tortoise seems exhausted and lethargic, even by tortoise standards. And I can't blame him—if I were 100 years old, the very last male of my species left in existence, and had little hope of fathering children, I'd probably have trouble getting out of bed in the morning too.
Fishermen and pirates hunted the Pinta Island Tortoise to what was believed to be extinction—until they found George. He was rescued from his small native Galapagos island of Pinta in 1972, and quickly recognized to be the only remaining one of his kind. Two females of a closely related species were found on the nearby island of Isabella, and for decades scientists have been trying to get him to mate to no avail. Over the years, his fame grew, and he picked up his renowned nickname.
There was a flurry of excitement last summer, when naturalists found fertilized eggs in George's compound for the first time. Unfortunately, the entire crop was spoiled by natural causes—a frequent occurrence in the wild—and the exciting turn of events ended in disappointment.
Now, sitting on the observation deck to his compound at the Charles Darwin Research Center, I can't help but project a sense of sadness—and a bit of hope—onto the solitary George as he cranes his massive neck and seems to stare directly at me. I've been sitting and staring at George long after the rest of the group left with one other teacher.
Lena Tashjian, who teaches AP and IB High School English in Baltimore, seems as struck by George as I am. Looking at the gracefully inanimate giant, she says, "To be the last one of your kind—to be without a family, without kids, to be all alone in the world. Literally—not figuratively. He's a courageous fellow."
In some ways, George himself is symbolic of man's impact on the Galapagos in general—and he's easily the Galapagos' most tragic figure. He's majestic, beautiful, and absolutely unique. He's the rarest animal on earth. And he lingers on, obstinately, unable to or unsure of how to reproduce.
No matter what the scientists do, it seems that he'll eventually die alone, and bring about the demise of his species with him. He is a symbol of the end.
But he's also a symbol of hope--the very fact that he was rescued before the Pinta Island Tortoises went extinct altogether was emblematic of the growing vigor of global conservation efforts. And that there's a chance--even a slim one--that science may allow him to reproduce and continue his line, is indisputable evidence of how far we've come in species preservation.
So here's to you, Lonesome George. And good luck.
30 of the top teachers in the US are making a trek from the Florida Everglades to the Galapagos Islands in order to engage a series of global conservation issues in the Toyota International Teacher Program. I'm traveling alongside the educators to report on what we discover about the threats and wonders on modern day Galapagos.
In regards to Lonesome George, why can't he be cloned?
Sad story indeed. Unless we get the good fortune of offspring, Man will have yet again driven a species to extinction. Something it seem to be very good at. Good luck, Lonesome George. The planet will be a lesser place without your species.
My professor at SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry school, is one of those scientists working with Lonesome George. He tells us that Lonesome George's family may have came from the island of Isabella at one time, but was picked up by sailors as a source of fresh meat on board a long trip. It is considered a miracle that they got to Pinta Island at all.
I also remember that one of the females on Isabella quickly spurned Lonesome George, and they were very afraid that the second one would as well...I'm glad they had eggs...In my mind it means they can try again.
Thank you for this lovely reminder of how precious our land is.
paula: you bring up an interesting question: should we allow cloning in the cases of extinction? and what kind of ethical complication does this incur?
When I read this article I nearly cried
This planet is sacred to me, and to see one of Her creatures about to slip away...
Its really too much. So many species are slipping through our fingers. Even if they aren't extinct yet, they are close. It hurts me deeply.
This is so sad.It truely hurts me to see a species come so far and to be the last of it's kind.It is the begining of a horrible ending unless he can reproduce. Best luck to the team trying to make this happen. I hope and pray for your success.