Goodbye, George.

“On 1 December 1971, (Hungarian) snail biologist, József Vágvölgyi & his wife Maria were on Pinta when they came face to face with a giant tortoise. ‘The tortoise was walking slowly when he first encountered him but withdrew into his shell with a loud hiss as we moved closer to take his picture’, Vagvolgyi recalled. ‘He soon relaxed and resumed his walk.’ ” – from Lonesome George: The Life and Loves of the World’s Most Famous Tortoise by Henry Nicholls

Source: nowpublic.com

24 June 2012 was a sad day for the environmentalist, scientists, turtle fans around the globe when the infamous Lonesome George was found dead. Lonesome George was estimated to be 100 years old, though he could be younger or maybe older. Not a soul can precisely sure. Despite many conservation efforts to find him the right mate, this last surviving Pinta Giant Tortoise did not leave any offspring to sustain his subspecies. Our world witnessed yet another extinction right before our eyes.

George must have been through so much the last 100 years. If George could speak, I’m sure he has many stories to tell. From how Pinta Island was when he first hatch, to the day he was spotted walking alone by József Vágvölgyi.

What George must have seen the last 100 years?

Source: avaxnews.com

George might have seen his beautiful Pinta Island untouched with plenty of food to eat and probably some tortoise a lot bigger than him. He must have watched whalers and seamen slaughtering his seniors and start wondering why. Back then, maybe he was much smaller and faster, so they missed him. Or maybe seeing the massacre, he went into hiding. But he sure is one lucky tortoise to survive those merciless act.

George must have felt puzzled to see some furry, 2-horned creature making unusual sounds who are eating his food. Maybe he never knew they were called Feral Goats and had his own name for them… like Lucifer? And George must have noticed that day after day, there’s more and more of them. And must have realized that it gets harder to find food.

On the 1 December 1971, while walking around probably in search of a friend and some food, George must have been very frightened to see two humans in his homeland. He must have thought they were so similar to the beings who were slaughtering his kind. He mustn’t have expected that this incident leads to the many efforts to keep him & his kind alive.

George must have felt really confused and was full of questions when he was taken to the Charles Darwin Research Center. He probably to finally meet other similar looking creatures (if he knew how he looked like). George must have seen so many flashlights & hearing ooh’s and aah’s while he was there. He must have met many celebrities but didn’t know who they were.

But above all that, George must have been searching all his life for that perfect female partner. Maybe he did and she died. He must have been wondering where are the rest of his kind. In the midst of the crowd, he must be wondering if he really is the only one in the world. George must have felt lonely.

Source: Wikipedia

Are the Pinta Giant tortoise gone forever?

Ever since Lonesome George was found, people had been putting huge effort to find a female Pinta Giant Tortoise. The government of Ecuador had also announced that $10,000 will be rewarded to the person who can get female for George. Till the day he died, a pure-bred female was never found. However, researchers believe that there may still be Pinta Giant Tortoise out there, or at least the hybrids of them, because they might have interbred in the Isabella Island. But with the current environmental destruction, pollution and climate change, could these remaining tortoises survive for long?

Lonesome George has always been the world’s conservation icon, reminding us be alert & care for our mother nature. His death should not mean the end of this message. In fact, his story will forever be an echoing reminder to mankind. We might only be able to hope for a miracle for this subspecies, but one thing for sure, we still have time to save other endangered species around us.

Source: toonaripost.com

Farewell, George. You will always have a special place in our hearts.

Posted in Mother Nature, Reptiles