Giant tortoises are a recent evolutionary innovation and used to be everywhere, not just on islands. It’s impossible to age them accurately unless you know when they hatched. They are actually pretty slow.Giant tortoises are a recent evolutionary innovation and used to be everywhere, not just on islands. It’s impossible to age them accurately unless you know when they hatched. They are actually pretty slow. The ones Darwin saw were fast, but only because he was probably chasing them.
Is Fernanda the new Lonesome George?
Lonesome George died 10 years ago. Now there is a new contender – a tortoise called Fernanda – for the most lonesome creature on earth.
The power of Lonesome George
2022 marks the 10th anniversary of Lonesome George’s death, a good time to reflect on the events immediately after his passing and the enduring power of this singular tortoise.