Perhaps Lonesome George should now be called Curious George.
The giant Galapagos tortoise earned his moniker by keeping to himself for most of his 36 years of captivity at the Charles Darwin Research Station. Now, all of the sudden, George appears to have broken out of his solitude and mated with one of the two females at the station that come from a similar species of Galapagos tortoise.
Lonesome George is perhaps the only remaining tortoise from Pinta Island in the Galapagos, but his endangered libido had diminished the researchers’ hopes of saving the endangered Galapagos tortoises. Attempts at artificial insemination, as well as having George watch other male tortoises mating for inspiration, had all failed until now.
In four months, scientists will find out for certain whether the eggs they found in George’s nest are his offspring. But everything involving tortoises seems to require lots of patience—after all, George, estimated to be between 60 and 90 years old, is just now in his sexual prime.
Image: Wikimedia Commons/putneymark
July 23rd, 2008 at 6:03 pm
[...] He’s also, according to some, the most famous reptile in the world. via. But there’s good news: George might be a dad! Read More…. @ [...]
July 24th, 2008 at 12:59 am
‘Attempts at artificial insemination, as well as having George watch other male tortoises mating for inspiration, had all failed until now’.
leave him alone. scientists are such meddling freaks!
July 24th, 2008 at 1:02 am
Hey Gorgeous George, way to go!
July 24th, 2008 at 8:56 am
[...] now in his sexual prime. Links: Review: Lonesome George by Henry Nicholls | Books | The Guardian World’s Rarest Tortoise Could Finally be a Father | Discoblog | Discover Magazine __________________ "If the facts don’t fit the theory, change the facts." Albert [...]
May 6th, 2009 at 8:14 pm
Hey! I am a sixth grader. My class is learning about lonesome george and we have to write 2-3 paragraph report about if it would be better off for lonesome george living the rest of his life at the Darwin Research Station, or should he be sent back to Pinta (his island) to live alone. What do you think? PLEASE JUST TAKE LESS THEN FIVE MINUTES OF YOUR LIFETIME TO RESSPOND BACK!!!
May 6th, 2009 at 8:17 pm
anyways WOW! lonesome george is a father now!cool