Lonesome
George, the late reptile prince of the Galapagos Islands, may be dead, but researchers
predict he may not be the last giant tortoise of his species after all, and
they may be able to resurrect the Pinta Island subspecies by launching a
cross-breeding program with 17 other tortoises found to contain genetic
material akin to that of Lonesome George, who died June 24 at the Pacific Ocean
archipelago off Ecuador's coast after repeated failed efforts to reproduce, and
can be accomplished.
It would be
the first time that a species was recovered after having been declared wiped
out. But it won't happen overnight. This is going to take about 100 to 150
years. Researchers took DNA samples from 1,600 tortoises on Wolf volcano, and
found the Pinta variety in 17, though their overall genetic makeup varied. Through
cross-breeding, 100 percent pure species" can be achieved.
17 tortoises
were being transferred from Isabela Island, where the volcano is situated, to
the park's breeding center at Santa Cruz. The analysis on Wolf volcano was
conducted by Yale University and the Galapagos Park with financial help from
the Galapagos Conservancy. In a news release, researchers predict that giant
tortoises from Pinta Island might have arrived at Wolf volcano after being
taken off by whaling ships for food and later cast overboard.
So far 14
species of giant tortoise originally inhabited the islands' 1,000 kilometers
off Ecuador's coast and 10 survive. Approximately there are 180,000 people annually
visit the Galapagos. Before human being arrived, the islands were home to tens
of thousands of massive tortoises. The number fell to about 3,000 in 1974, but
the revival program run by the national park and the Charles Darwin Foundation
has accomplished something in increasing the overall population to 20,000. Lonesome
George's age at death was not confirmed, but researchers believed he was about
100, not particularly old for a giant tortoise.
