Lonesome George, last of the Pinta Island Tortoises (Chelonoidis nigra abingdoni) died June 24, 2012. RIP old friend.

Lonesome George was a tortoise whose kind lived only on Pinta Island, one of smaller islands in the Galapagos Islands Archipelago. Since the early days of transatlantic sailing, tortoises were captured and taken aboard ship for live meat. Even Charles Darwin, whose ideas about evolution were formed, in part, from these tortoises, probably hauled some away for food. Over the years, most populations, one per island, were hunted to near extinction. In more recent years, the government of Ecuador has expended considerable effort in conserving these tortoises and the breeding program with tortoises from other of the Galapagos Islands has been quite successful.

I was fortunate to meet this symbol of conservation in October 2011. Such an honor.

The sign reads (in Spanish and English):

Lonesome George

Lonesome George is the last survivor of the dynasty of land tortoises from Pinta Island. He was found in December 1971 and taken to the Charles Darwin Research Station in March 1972. All efforts to find other specimens from that island have been in vain. He is now sharing his pen with two female tortoises of the population from Wolf Volcano (aka: Wolf Island).