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Lonesome George

Part of the book series: Macmillan Science ((MACSCI))

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Abstract

On 1 December 1971, American snail biologist Joseph Vagvolgyi and his wife Maria were on Pinta when they came face to face with a giant tortoise. The tortoise was walking slowly when we first encountered him, but withdrew into his shell with a loud hiss as we moved closer to take his picture’, Vagvolgyi recalled. ‘He soon relaxed, and resumed his walk.’ Vagvolgyi took a photograph and returned to the undergrowth and his search for snails. Neither he nor his wife realized the immense significance of their encounter.

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Notes and sources

  • ‘The tortoise was walking slowly…’: Vagvolgyi (1974)

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  • ‘The Vagvolgyi’s dinner party: Peter Pritchard, personal communication; see also Pritchard (1977)

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  • ‘The tortoise we saw on Pinta…’: paraphrased from Pritchard, personal communication

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  • ‘I practically lost my teeth’: Pritchard, personal communication

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  • ‘I was a pretty weird kid’: Pritchard, personal communication

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  • ‘a peculiar beast …’: Pritchard (1977)

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  • ‘I resolved …’: Pritchard (1977)

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  • Rediscovery of the woolly flying squirrel: Peter Zahler, personal communication

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  • Rediscovery of the Santiago rice rat: Robert Dowler, personal communication; see also Dowler et al. (2000)

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  • ‘It’s a woolly flying squirrel’: Zahler, personal communication

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  • ‘I remember seeing bleached bones …’: Peter Kramer, personal communication

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  • Details of the goat-hunting trip to Pinta in March 1972: Manuel Cruz, personal communication; see also Cruz (1994)

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  • ‘We both thought it was a goat …’: Cruz (1994)

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  • ‘The swinging of the tortoise …’: Cruz (1994)

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  • Details of Ole Hamann and Peter Pritchard’s trip to Pinta: Ole Hamann and Peter Pritchard, personal communication; see also Pritchard (1977)

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  • ‘I was much more excited …’: Pritchard, personal communication

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  • ‘They have found a tortoise, a large male’: paraphrased from Ole Hamann, personal communication

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  • There was still hope …’: Pritchard (1977)

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  • ‘It lacked the antediluvian look …’: Pritchard (1977)

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  • George’s movements on arrival at the CDRS: Kramer, personal communication

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  • Status of tortoise populations throughout the archipelago: see MacFarland (1974a)

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  • Pinzón egg collection: see Perry (1970); MacFarland (1974b)

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  • Captive breeding of Española tortoises: see Perry (1970); MacFarland (1974b)

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  • Details of Pritchard’s week on Pinta: Pritchard, personal communication

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  • ‘The utter senselessness of it…’: Pritchard (1977)

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  • Arrival of Vagvolgyi’s photograph: Pritchard, personal communication

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  • Pritchard and Kramer compare Vagvolgyi’s photograph to Lonesome George: Pritchard and Kramer, personal communication

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  • ‘George is about as short and inconspicuous-looking …’: Anon. (1954) Gobel bowls ‘em over, TV Guide 2, 5–7

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  • Counting rings works for young tortoises: Kristin Berry and Linda Cayot, personal communication

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  • Lonesome George’s age: Cayot and Pritchard, personal communication

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  • Marion’s tortoise: Gerlach (1998)

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  • Tui Malilia: see www.guinnessworldrecords.com; Gerlach (1998)

  • Harriet’s dubious origins: Chambers (2004a)

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  • ‘Harriet’s DNA shows signficant differences …’: Chambers (2004b)

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  • George’s fall: Anon. (1980) Lonesome George achieves immortality — in bronze. Noticias de Galápagos 32: 2–3

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  • George’s weight gain: Cayot, personal communication

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  • George’s neck swelling: Cayot, personal communication

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  • George’s constipation: Joe Flanagan, personal communication

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  • Treatment by nutritionist: Olav Oftedal, personal communication

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Authors
  1. Henry Nicholls
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Copyright information

© 2010 Henry Nicholls

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Cite this chapter

Nicholls, H. (2010). Discovery. In: Lonesome George. Macmillan Science. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-137-09745-3_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-137-09745-3_1

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, New York

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-330-45011-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-09745-3

  • eBook Packages: Palgrave History CollectionHistory (R0)

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