Lonesome George, the last Pinta Island tortoise has died, leaving
the world one species poorer. Lonesome George was discovered on Pinta Island in
1972 at a time when tortoises of his type were already believed to be extinct. The
animal had been part of the park service's tortoise program.
"Later two females from the Espanola tortoise population (the species most closely related to Pinta tortoises genetically) were with George until the end," the park service said but the repeated efforts to breed Lonesome George failed.
In honor of Lonesome George, the park service said it was convening an international workshop in July on management strategies for restoring tortoise populations over the next decade.
The Galapagos Islands, situated about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) off Ecuador's coast, is considered a haven for tortoises.
