Giant Tortoise Thought Extinct 100 Years Ago is Living in Galapagos, Ecuador Says
upstart writes in with an IRC submission:
Giant tortoise thought extinct 100 years ago is living in Galapagos, Ecuador says:
The Galapagos National Park is preparing an expedition to search for more of the giant tortoises in an attempt to save the species.
The turtle was found two years ago on Fernandina Island, one of the youngest and most pristine in the archipelago, during a joint expedition between the Galapagos National Park and the Galapagos Conservancy.
Scientists from Yale University then identified it as the Chelonoidis phantasticus species, which had been considered extinct more than a century ago.
"Yale University revealed the results of genetic studies and the respective DNA comparison that was made with a specimen extracted in 1906," the Galapagos Park said in a statement.
Previously: Ecuador Releases 201 Tortoises on Galapagos Island of Santa Fe.
Also see the Wikipedia entry on Lonesome George.
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