Ok, I would really like people to weigh in on this one. Jennifer is in the Galapagos, so I figured I might as well write about them. And what better topic to write about than rewilding the Galapagos. Here's the scenario: the Galapagos National Park and the Charles Darwin Foundation has spent the last 8 years or so removing feral goat and pig populations from a suite of the islands. I was the Science and Conservation Advisor for this massive project which was a huge success. One of the islands we restored was Pinta Island, where we removed a couple thousand goats. The island is now free of non-native mammals and the native vegetation has recovered. There is only one problem: no tortoises.
Once abundant on Pinta Island, tortoises - the megafauna of the Galapagos - were first wiped out by whalers for food and then heavily impacted by habitat degradation by goats. The sole survivor from Pinta Island - Lonesome George - lives in captivity. No one can seem to talk Lonesome George into breeding with any tortoises from other islands. No libido apparently (they have been trying for over a decade). Many of the islands in the Galapagos, including Pinta, have genetically distinct giant tortoises populations. Closely related and the same species, but distinct.
So here is the question: should we reintroduce a closely related tortoise population to Pinta island to replace the tortoise population that was there historically? Should we try and restore the ecological role of tortoises back to the island (which we know was very important) and re-start evolution on the island? Or should we resist "playing god" and leave the island alone? (but are we already playing God?)
See a recent article in The Independent for my view and the Galapagos National Park's new restoration plan for Pinta Island.
Environment
Life Science
Comments
I say bring the tortoises back. And free Lonesome George! Who knows, maybe if George was free to roam as king of Pinta Island, and had a harem of female tortoises, he would come out of his shell (!) and start mating again.
Posted by: Micah | March 19, 2008 6:10 PM
Is there reproductive isolation between Pinta turtles and the other islands? If so, it's worth a serious re-assessment of how different an ecological role George and his ilk would play as opposed to other tortises. If they aren't even isolated (e.g. not enough time has passed for evolution to change that most fundamental of machinery), and it is plausible that a tortise could be transported, than it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that such an event could happen anyway. Why not!
Posted by: jebyrnes | March 19, 2008 8:47 PM
A choice to not act is still a choice.
If the tortoises from all of the islands are inter-fertile I would suggest seeding Pinta Island with a tortoise or two from each island (including Lonesome George). That way that 'neo-pintan' tortoises will be descended from as wide a genetic diversity as possible. (If the Pintan ecology is very well-restored it would be possible to harvest an occasional tortoise.)Posted by: Christopher Gwyn | March 19, 2008 10:52 PM
Bring them back. I like Christopher's suggestion to use Lonesome George and tortoises from other islands. This would be the best way to avoid reseeding the island and minimize the founders effect.
Posted by: KevinC | March 20, 2008 8:01 AM
Transplant the tortoises! If there is an ecological niche for them and they will help the island trend back towards how it was pre-whalers, it seems like the best option.
Posted by: Milan | March 20, 2008 8:03 AM
I seem to recall a suggestion that (an)other Pinta tortoise(s) had been found (either misidentified in the captive populace or somewhere on island during the goat cull? Assuming that was inaccurate then go for it I say.
Posted by: tai haku | March 20, 2008 9:03 AM
Yes...and hell yes. Oh, and why not attempt to establish colonies on other islands or seperate locations so that in the event of a cataclysmic appearance of a pandemic disease of some other impact, natural or man-made, the legacy can be protected until it can be re-established. Humans never seem to hesitate to use our ability in disregard for the species that not just fascinate us but make the living system so productive that it can actually support us in our profligacy. It makes great sense to use it intelligently and carefully, but use it to keep the complexity that is so closely correlated to any system's productivity as complete as possible. Thanks for what you're doin'.
Posted by: doug l | March 20, 2008 12:44 PM
Many photos of Lonesome George
Posted by: Milan | March 20, 2008 2:09 PM
Yes!
Posted by: ~summer~ | March 21, 2008 8:24 PM
Lonesome George generates a lot of tourism. From an economic standpoint, does it make good sense (cents) to have more than one?
Posted by: Jennifer L. Jacquet | March 24, 2008 12:14 PM
Humans never seem to hesitate to use our ability in disregard for the species that not just fascinate us but make the living system so productive that it can actually support us in our profligacy.
Posted by: grow taller 4 idiots | August 29, 2009 2:50 AM
Pinta Island, and had a harem of female tortoises, he would come out of his shell (!) and start mating again.
Posted by: sex hikayeleri | August 10, 2010 4:57 AM
the species that not just fascinate us but make the living system so productive that it can actually support us in our profligacy. It makes great sense to use it intelligently and carefully, but use it to keep the complexity that is so closely correlated to any system's productivity as complete as possible.
Posted by: film izle | August 10, 2010 5:01 AM
It makes great sense to use it intelligently and carefully, but use it to keep the complexity that is so closely correlated to any system's productivity as complete as possible. Thanks for.
Posted by: orjin krem | August 19, 2010 2:50 AM
It makes great sense to use it intelligently and carefully, but use it to keep the complexity that is so closely correlated to any system's productivity as complete as possible. Thanks for.
Posted by: for men | August 26, 2010 12:43 AM
Humans never seem to hesitate to use our ability in disregard for the species that not just fascinate us but make the living system so productive that it can actually support us in our profligacy.Thanks a lot
Posted by: güzel sözler | August 31, 2010 8:04 AM
Lonesome George generates a lot of tourism. From an economic standpoint, does it make good sense (cents) to have more than one?
Posted by: kasko | September 3, 2010 11:59 PM
It makes great sense to use it intelligently and carefully, but use it to keep the complexity that is so closely correlated to any system's productivity as complete as possible. Thanks for.
Posted by: islam | November 30, 2010 6:02 AM
And free Lonesome George! Who knows, maybe if George was free to roam as king of Pinta Island, and had a harem of female tortoises, he would come out of his shell (!) and start mating again.
Posted by: seo uzmanı | November 30, 2010 6:07 AM
And free Lonesome George! Who knows, maybe if George was free to roam as king of Pinta Island, and had a harem of female tortoises, he would come out of his shell (!) and start mating again.
Posted by: seo uzmanı | November 30, 2010 6:07 AM
It makes great sense to use it intelligently and carefully, but use it to keep the complexity that is so closely correlated to any system's productivity as complete as possible. Thanks for.
Posted by: trafik sigortası | December 18, 2010 12:30 PM
And free Lonesome George! Who knows, maybe if George was free to roam as king of Pinta Island, and had a harem of female tortoises, he would come out of his shell (!) and start mating again.
Posted by: ilhami doruk | December 23, 2010 5:34 AM
If the tortoises from all of the islands are inter-fertile I would suggest seeding Pinta Island with a tortoise or two from each island (including Lonesome George). That way that 'neo-pintan' tortoises will be descended from as wide a genetic diversity as possible. (If the Pintan ecology is very well-restored it would be possible to harvest an occasional tortoise.)
Posted by: güzel sözler | January 4, 2011 11:01 AM
And free Lonesome George! Who knows, maybe if George was free to roam as king of Pinta Island, and had a harem of female tortoises, he would come out of his shell (!) and start mating again.
Posted by: panax | January 8, 2011 1:41 AM
Bu, akıllıca ve dikkatli kullanmak ama mümkün olduğunca eksiksiz olarak çok yakından herhangi bir sistemin verimliliği için ilişkilidir karmaşıklığı tutmak için kullanabilirsiniz büyük anlam ifade eder.
Posted by: panax | March 5, 2011 7:55 AM
And free Lonesome George! Who knows, maybe if George was free to roam as king of Pinta Island, and had a harem of female tortoises, he would come out of his shell (!) and start mating again
Posted by: müzik dinle | March 31, 2011 2:37 AM
Pinta Island, and had a harem of female tortoises, he would come out of his shell (!) and start mating again.
Posted by: oyun download | April 10, 2011 4:59 AM
And free Lonesome George! Who knows, maybe if George was free to roam as king of Pinta Island, and had a harem of female tortoises, he would come out of his shell (!)
Posted by: estetik cerrahi | April 19, 2011 12:30 PM
And free Lonesome George! Who knows, maybe if George was free to roam as king of Pinta Island, and had a harem of female tortoises, he would come out of his shell (!)
Posted by: estetik cerrahi | April 19, 2011 12:31 PM
And free Lonesome George! Who knows, maybe if George was free to roam as king of Pinta Island, and had a harem of female tortoises, he would come out of his shell (!)
Posted by: saç ekimi | April 19, 2011 12:34 PM
Is there reproductive isolation between Pinta turtles and the other islands? If so, it's worth a serious re-assessment of how different an ecological role George and his ilk would play as opposed to other tortises. If they aren't even isolated (e.g. not enough time has passed for evolution to change that most fundamental of machinery), and it is plausible that a tortise could be transported, than it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that such an event could happen anyway. Why not!
Posted by: porno | May 3, 2011 5:24 PM
If the tortoises from all of the islands are inter-fertile I would suggest seeding Pinta Island with a tortoise or two from each island (including Lonesome George). That way that 'neo-pintan' tortoises will be descended from as wide a genetic diversity as possible. (If the Pintan ecology is very well-restored it would be possible to harvest an occasional tortoise.) And free Lonesome George! Who knows, maybe if George was free to roam as king of Pinta Island, and had a harem of female tortoises, he would come out of his shell (!) and start mating again.
Posted by: chat yap | May 11, 2011 7:56 AM
If the tortoises from all of the islands are inter-fertile I would suggest seeding Pinta Island with a tortoise or two from each island (including Lonesome George). That way that 'neo-pintan' tortoises will be descended from as wide a genetic diversity as possible. (If the Pintan ecology is very well-restored it would be possible to harvest an occasional tortoise.) And free Lonesome George! Who knows, maybe if George was free to roam as king of Pinta Island, and had a harem of female tortoises, he would come out of his shell (!) and start mating again.
Posted by: panax | July 7, 2011 1:50 AM
If the tortoises from all of the islands are inter-fertile I would suggest seeding Pinta Island with a tortoise or two from each island (including Lonesome George). That way that 'neo-pintan' tortoises will be descended from as wide a genetic diversity as possible. (If the Pintan ecology is very well-restored it would be possible to harvest an occasional tortoise.) And free Lonesome George! Who knows, maybe if George was free to roam as king of Pinta Island, and had a harem of female tortoises, he ..
Posted by: panax | July 7, 2011 2:42 AM
Of course, we should try to restore old fauna of these islands. We need to fix those to applicable, which have made the whalers. I think you need to pay attention to these issues.
Posted by: Обслуживание ПК | July 15, 2011 2:26 AM
If the tortoises from all of the islands are inter-fertile I would suggest seeding Pinta Island with a tortoise or two from each island (including Lonesome George). That way that 'neo-pintan' tortoises will be descended from as wide a genetic diversity as possible. (If the Pintan ecology is very well-restored it would be possible to harvest an occasional tortoise.) And free Lonesome George! Who knows, maybe if George was free to roam as king of Pinta Island, and had a harem of female tortoises, he would come out of his shell (!) and start mating again
Posted by: panax | July 29, 2011 12:05 PM
That way that 'neo-pintan' tortoises will be descended from as wide a genetic diversity as possible.
Posted by: panax | July 31, 2011 6:30 PM
the species that not just fascinate us but make the living system so productive that it can actually support us in our profligacy. It makes great sense to use it intelligently and carefully, but use it to keep the complexity that is so closely correlated to any system's productivity as complete as possible
Posted by: panax | August 12, 2011 6:27 AM
the species that not just fascinate us but make the living system so productive that it can actually support us in our profligacy. It makes great sense to use it intelligently and carefully, but use it to keep the complexity that is so closely correlated to any system's productivity as complete as possible
Posted by: takı | August 12, 2011 4:21 PM
If they aren't even isolated (e.g. not enough time has passed for evolution to change that most fundamental of machinery), and it is plausible that a tortise could be transported, than it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that such an event could happen anyway
Posted by: panax | September 24, 2011 8:40 AM
If the tortoises from all of the islands are inter-fertile I would suggest seeding Pinta Island with a tortoise or two from each island (including Lonesome George). That way that 'neo-pintan' tortoises will be descended from as wide a genetic diversity as possible. (If the Pintan ecology is very well-restored it would be possible to harvest an occasional tortoise.) And free Lonesome George! Who knows, maybe if George was free to roam as king of Pinta Island, and had a harem of female tortoises, he would come out of his shell (!) and start mating again.
Posted by: şarkı dinle | October 24, 2011 3:39 AM
Tortoises are one of my favorite animals. Even thou I don't know the reason for that I still love them, maybe the reason that they are so slow and can't to mush harm to the people
Posted by: Army bases | November 21, 2011 11:33 AM