90 Year Old Bachelor Sows Wild Oats

And congratulations to Lonesome George, a Geochelone abigdoni tortoise thought to be the rarest living creature on the planet.  George is a native of Pinta, an isolated northern island of the Galápagos Island chain.  How rare is he?  Scientists found him in 1972 and moved him into captivity.  He is the only living member of his species.  And because of that scientists, at the Charles Darwin research station on the island of Santa Cruz in the Galápagos, have been trying to get him to mate.

They have been trying since 1993.

Lonesome George

That’s when they introduced two female tortoises of a different subspecies from the neighboring island of Isabela into his pen, but nothing happened.  Back then scientists figured that George was in his mid 70s.  I guess the young tortoise couldn’t be bothered to “entertain” the ladies.  The scented candles and the Barry White albums weren’t getting him in the mood.  But just recently having hit his sexual peak in his 90s, one of the two female tortoises kept with him laid five eggs a few weeks ago.

Scientists say that the latest eggs are in perfect condition, and are being cared for in an incubation center.  It will be November before they know whether they are viable.