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No longer lonesome

COMPILED BY ROHINI RAMAKRISHNAN

The giant Galapagos tortoise that became a conservation icon is not so alone after all. "Lonesome George" was thought to be the only survivor of a tortoise species native to the isle of Pinta. Now, the journal Current Biology reports the discovery of a hybrid — the offspring from the union of a Pinta tortoise and another island species. The `new' animal thus shares about half its genes in common with George. Unfortunately for efforts to get George to reproduce, this hybrid tortoise, recently found on Isabela isle is also a male. Nonetheless, its discovery in a relatively small sample of tortoises raises fresh hope for the future of George's species (Geochelone abingdoni). A more thorough sampling of the 2,000 tortoises living on Isabela could yet reveal a genetically pure Pinta tortoise, say the researchers.

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