Lonesome George

Lonesome George, the last known giant turtle from the island of Pinta in the Galapagos Islands, died of old age in June of 2012. After two years of working tirelessly taxidermy experts have managed to preserve George's body for years to come. As of September 19th 2014 his body will be on display for a limited amount of time at the American Museum of Natural History, after which he will be transported back to the Galapagos Islands where he lived for 40 years. Scientists estimate that his lifespan was around 100 years or more, he was 5 feet long and weighed 165 pounds. During his life George served as a sort of poster child for conservation efforts in the Galapagos Islands. His life and death serves to make a worldwide discussion and help gather support for conservation efforts not only in the Galapagos but all across the world. He will be on display in New York City until January 4th 2015.

Source - Lonesome No More: George the Giant Tortoise on Public Display in NYC - by Elizabeth Palermo. Published - September 19th 2014.

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