DNA tests show Lonesome George may not have been last of his species

[Pond_Lilly]

Some good news for a change.

http://news.yale.edu/2012/11/15/dna-tests-show-lonesome-george-may-not-have-been-last-his-species

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Very interesting. Thanks!

 

[tupacliveson16]

Whoa, that's amazing!

 

[ScottishFish]

Fingers crossed!!

 

[tortadise]

Good stuff. I posted this same article from a different source a week or so ago on my facebook page/website. it would take many generations to get a pure bred Chelonoidis abingdoni. I dont know if even it is possible to get a pure 100% DNA specimen revived. But could be very likely. The great thing with Galaps is they can typically breed, or start producing offspring around 14-20 years of age. Whereas Aldabras the male typically is needs to be 45+ years of age. SO a better turn of events. But lets say maybe 80-100 years they could possibly have a 80% or higher genetic carrying Chelonoidis abingdoni, which would be fantastic.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Good stuff. I posted this same article from a different source a week or so ago on my facebook page/website. it would take many generations to get a pure bred Chelonoidis abingdoni. I dont know if even it is possible to get a pure 100% DNA specimen revived. But could be very likely. The great thing with Galaps is they can typically breed, or start producing offspring around 14-20 years of age. Whereas Aldabras the male typically is needs to be 45+ years of age. SO a better turn of events. But lets say maybe 80-100 years they could possibly have a 80% or higher genetic carrying Chelonoidis abingdoni, which would be fantastic.

Isn't it sort of purist and a waste of resources to try and back-breed a certain genotype of Galapagos tortoise from a population that has been doing well for over a century? I mean, it's not like trying to get mammoths out of elephants so they can live thousands of miles to the north in a much colder climate or something. There's no need to reintroduce giant tortoises to Isabella, because that island already supports a large, thriving population of Galapagos tortoises anyway. Isn't that good enough?

 

[Millerlite]

Good stuff. I posted this same article from a different source a week or so ago on my facebook page/website. it would take many generations to get a pure bred Chelonoidis abingdoni. I dont know if even it is possible to get a pure 100% DNA specimen revived. But could be very likely. The great thing with Galaps is they can typically breed, or start producing offspring around 14-20 years of age. Whereas Aldabras the male typically is needs to be 45+ years of age. SO a better turn of events. But lets say maybe 80-100 years they could possibly have a 80% or higher genetic carrying Chelonoidis abingdoni, which would be fantastic.

Isn't it sort of purist and a waste of resources to try and back-breed a certain genotype of Galapagos tortoise from a population that has been doing well for over a century? I mean, it's not like trying to get mammoths out of elephants so they can live thousands of miles to the north in a much colder climate or something. There's no need to reintroduce giant tortoises to Isabella, because that island already supports a large, thriving population of Galapagos tortoises anyway. Isn't that good enough?

Not sure how many different subspecies there are of the giants in the islands, the tortoise is extinct cuz of humans, if there is a chance of getting a close cousin it maybe worth it, I'm sure someone will fund it, cool science tho.

 

[Yellow Turtle]

That news has been a while after Lonesome George died and like Kelly mentioned, it will take some time to purify the DNA. Maybe it's better to just let Lonesome George be the last of his kind. That much of money can be used to save other kind of rare animals instead.

 

[tortadise]

There were 13, 2 are extinct. The closes related is the esponola. Its one of the rarest tortoises and Galapagoes of the 11 remaining. They were down to a few hundred specimens and completely removed from that island. They have however placed over a thousand captive bred specimens back on the island back in 2009. The adults are still on isabella island. Nobody can visit esponala island except the care keeper of the adults that oversees the breeding of that species. Most of the ones found on the smaller islands are very delicate because of the eco system. But all the goats have been removed years back. So a positive on that species.






quote='Millerlite' pid='689405' dateline='1371946985']

Good stuff. I posted this same article from a different source a week or so ago on my facebook page/website. it would take many generations to get a pure bred Chelonoidis abingdoni. I dont know if even it is possible to get a pure 100% DNA specimen revived. But could be very likely. The great thing with Galaps is they can typically breed, or start producing offspring around 14-20 years of age. Whereas Aldabras the male typically is needs to be 45+ years of age. SO a better turn of events. But lets say maybe 80-100 years they could possibly have a 80% or higher genetic carrying Chelonoidis abingdoni, which would be fantastic.

Isn't it sort of purist and a waste of resources to try and back-breed a certain genotype of Galapagos tortoise from a population that has been doing well for over a century? I mean, it's not like trying to get mammoths out of elephants so they can live thousands of miles to the north in a much colder climate or something. There's no need to reintroduce giant tortoises to Isabella, because that island already supports a large, thriving population of Galapagos tortoises anyway. Isn't that good enough?

Not sure how many different subspecies there are of the giants in the islands, the tortoise is extinct cuz of humans, if there is a chance of getting a close cousin it maybe worth it, I'm sure someone will fund it, cool science tho.
[/quote]

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13. But only 11 remain. The esponala is closest to the pinta. Its one of the rarest tortoise species on earth. They reintroduced a few hundred captive offspring back on to the island in 2009.

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I belive the chelonoidis hoodenis is after the esponala too. Its the small remote island species ones that are very delicate in numbers. The ones on isabella and volcana area types are plentiful.

 

[thereptileenthusiast]

Isn't it sort of purist and a waste of resources to try and back-breed a certain genotype of Galapagos tortoise from a population that has been doing well for over a century? I mean, it's not like trying to get mammoths out of elephants so they can live thousands of miles to the north in a much colder climate or something. There's no need to reintroduce giant tortoises to Isabella, because that island already supports a large, thriving population of Galapagos tortoises anyway. Isn't that good enough?

They don't want to reintroduce Georges species to Isabella, they want to use tortoises from Isabella with specific DNA to repopulate Pinta island. I tend to agree though that the differences between the torts from different islands are so minute that simply reintroducing galaps to Pinta would suffice. I guess if the purists want to devote the time, so be it, so long as funds aren't being diverted from securing habitat in Myanmar for Burmese stars and in Madagascar for Radiateds and Ploughshares. Ecuador has done a great job of securing the Galapagos.

 

[Lilyloveslettuse]

I wonder if anyone is trying to clone poor old George???

 

[Madkins007]

I wonder if anyone is trying to clone poor old George???

He was frozen and is going to be stuffed and returned to the research station. When they can afford to do it. (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/07/130702-lonesome-george-stuffed-animals-new-york/)

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

Fascinating. Rest in peace sweet Lonesome George.