Pinta Island tortoise
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| phylum | Chordata | The Pinta Island tortoise was a subspecies of Galápagos tortoise native to Ecuador's Pinta Island. By the mid-20th century, it was assumed that the subspecies was extinct until a single male was discovered on the island in 1971. Efforts were made to mate the male, named Lonesome George, with other subspecies, but no viable eggs were produced. Lonesome George died on 24 June 2012 and the subspecies was believed to have become extinct with the death of Lonesome George. However, 17 first-generation hybrids have been found at Wolf Volcano on Isabela Island during a recent trip by Yale University researchers. As these specimens are juveniles, their parents may still be alive.
For more information, visit the Wikipedia entry. Get back to Tortoises |
| clade | Anapsida | |
| order | Testudines | |
| suborder | Cryptodira | |
| family | Testudinidae | |
| genus | Chelonoidis | |
| species | C. nigra abingdonii |
