Last year, on our trip to the Galapagos, hubby and E1 met Lonesome George at the Darwin Research Center. George is the last remaining Pinta Island tortoise. Scientists have been in an quandry as to how to carry on the Pinta tortise species. George has now successfully breed with 2 female tortoises with similar genetic makeup to the Pinta Island species. Here is the rest of the article:
"On July 21, 2008 , Park rangers found a nest in George’s corral with nine eggs—three of which were intact, two of which had tiny cracks, and four of which were broken entirely. Eight more eggs were found in a new nest this morning—all eight eggs were in good condition. The Park staff has taken all thirteen eggs and placed them in incubators at the Charles Darwin Research Station. Eight eggs are set at an incubation temperature of 29.5 °C and five are at 28 °C.
In certain species of reptiles (including Galapagos tortoises), there are no chromosomes which determine gender. Gender is determined by the temperature at which the eggs are incubated. The higher temperatures produce females and the lower temperatures produce males. After many years of experimentation during the 1980s at the Research Station, staff discovered the temperature range at which the eggs would produce males and females. In this particular case, given the number of possibly viable eggs, the decision was made to put more eggs at the higher incubation temperature (female). In a population restoration effort, which this certainly is, it is more important to have more females than males.
There are now a total of 13 eggs in the incubators-5 from the first tortoise and 8 laid by the second. It will be another 120-130 days before the incubation process is completed and before it is known if the eggs are viable. "
In certain species of reptiles (including Galapagos tortoises), there are no chromosomes which determine gender. Gender is determined by the temperature at which the eggs are incubated. The higher temperatures produce females and the lower temperatures produce males. After many years of experimentation during the 1980s at the Research Station, staff discovered the temperature range at which the eggs would produce males and females. In this particular case, given the number of possibly viable eggs, the decision was made to put more eggs at the higher incubation temperature (female). In a population restoration effort, which this certainly is, it is more important to have more females than males.
There are now a total of 13 eggs in the incubators-5 from the first tortoise and 8 laid by the second. It will be another 120-130 days before the incubation process is completed and before it is known if the eggs are viable. "
Lonesome George is lonesome no more!
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