Pinta island tortoise

There was a news headline back in 2009 that excitedly reported a female tortoise, paired with the famous Lonesome George, laid a clutch of eggs. Unfortunately, the eggs were infertile, and it appears that the possibility of offspring is grim for this last remaining of the Pinta Island subspecies of Tortoise. George continues to play…

Lonesome George (c. 1910 - June 24, 2012) was a male Pinta Island tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra abingdonii) and the last known individual of the subspecies. In his last years, he was known as the rarest creature in the world. George serves as a potent symbol for conservation efforts in the Galápagos Islands and throughout the world.

Lonesome George, the last known individual of the Pinta Island Tortoise population, one of the eleven subspecies of the Galapagos Tortoise. Currently housed at the Charles Darwin Research Center on the Island of Santa Cruz.

Learn about Lonesome George, the last Pinta Island tortoise, and the ongoing efforts to preserve his legacy and biodiversity.

Charles Darwin Research Station, Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Driven to extinction by overhunting, the world's last Pinta Island tortoise is now a taxidermy display at New York's American Museum of Natural History

The Seychelles is home to a very special species of large tortoise, the Aldabra Giant Tortoise.

In this strange land of strange animals, none is more iconic than the Galápagos Giant Tortoise. Growing to over six feet long and eight hundred pounds, these are the biggest tortoises on the planet and one of the largest reptiles. No Galápagos visit would be complete without these mammoth reptiles and the amazing Breeding Center that is giving these magnificent creatures new... CONTINUE READING >>

Pinta Island tortoise - is a species of Galápagos tortoise once native to Ecuador's Pinta Island. The decline of the population began in the 17th century, due to buccaneers and whalers. They hunted tortoises as a source of fresh meat, and took away about 200,000 tortoises collectively. By t

Tortoise Chelonoidis Nigra Abingdonii or the Pinta Island tortoise also referred to as the Abingdon Island tortoise the Pinta giant tortoise or the ‘giant’ tortoise of the Abingdon Island, originally belonged to the subspecies of the Galapagos tortoise, a native to Ecuador’s Pinta Island. This is how Albert Gunther described it in 1877 when he brought a certain specimen to London. Learn more about Pinta Island Tortoises on our website.