Lone tortoise 'not last of kind' (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

By Paul Rincon
Science Reporter, BBC News

The giant Galapagos tortoise that became a conservation icon when it appeared he was the last of his kind 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.
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more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6607197.stm