Lonesome George was first seen by a Hungarian scientist on the Galapagos island of Pinta in 1972.Įnvironmentalists had believed his subspecies (Chelonoidis nigra abingdoni) had become extinct. While his exact age was not known, Lonesome George was estimated to be about 100, which made him a young adult as the subspecies can live up to an age of 200. Park officials said the tortoise was found dead in his corral by his keeper of 40 years, Fausto Llerena. With no offspring and no known individuals from his subspecies left, Lonesome George became known as the rarest creature in the world.įor decades, environmentalists unsuccessfully tried to get the Pinta Island tortoise to reproduce with females from a similar subspecies on the Galapagos Islands. Park officials said they would carry out a post-mortem to determine the cause of his death.
Scientists estimate he was about 100 years old.
Staff at the Galapagos National Park in Ecuador say Lonesome George, a giant tortoise believed to be the last of its subspecies, has died.
