George was discovered on Pinta Island in 197 1 year. The island was badly damaged by imported goats, leaving almost no vegetation, and the hope of turtles living on the island was slim. Lonely George, the last turtle survivor on the island, was transferred to Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS) on Santa Cruz Island, which is one of the two main turtle breeding bases in the Galapagos Islands. Lonely George spent the rest of his life in CDRS and was taken good care of.
During this time, people do everything possible to breed in Jeangeorges to preserve his genes, at least in hybrid species, because there are no females in his species. The female turtles of two close relatives were put in his corral to lay eggs, but the embryos died before hatching. In most cases, George is not interested in mating. He doesn't know if he is fertile. Once I went to his corral, he really seemed to be chasing a female, but she was reluctant. She is younger and more agile than George. She doesn't seem to want anything to do with him. No matter where he pursues, she will avoid him and even flee to the pond where he seems unwilling to go.
Lonely George and one of his reluctant companions
Swiss biologist Sveva Grigioni (now Bauer) took the stage. At that time, she was a graduate student and an expert on the reproductive ability of sea turtles. It was part of her thesis work to help "Lonely George". She spent months trying to get semen from him, but found nothing. Griggi Gioni, who has now returned to Switzerland, said that she can usually make a turtle ejaculate in a few minutes, but she spent several months artificially stimulating George, but never extracted semen from him. George has no happy ending.
Sveva Griggi Oni
Unfortunately, "Lonely George" was found dead in its corral by Fausto LeLena, a ranger who had cared for him for 40 years in Galapagos National Park, at around 8 am on June 20 12. George's age is estimated to be between 60 and 90, although some media have exaggerated this figure. Early speculation said that he was over 100 years old. When George died, he left no survivors and did not donate his genes to science or future generations. His race followed him.
Fausto Lerina and Lonely George
George was airlifted to the American Museum of Natural History in new york for specimen preservation. Charles Darwin Research Station and the Ecuadorian government had an argument about where he should live in the future. The government wants to place him at the airport in Quito, the capital of the country, but it should be high in the Andes, far from his home and his natural habitat. CDRS finally won, and now it is permanently displayed in the Fausto yelena Breeding Center of the space station.
Lonely George is in his final resting place.
When I led my family and students to study on these islands, I was lucky enough to visit "Lonely George" with my family and students several times. Fausto LeLena is not only a ranger and George's manager, but also a talented woodcarver. She gave me this signed Lonely George and put it on my bookshelf with other Galapagos souvenirs.