'Lonesome George' a Dad?

The last of the Pinta Island Galapagos giant tortoises, named George, has been laying with a female tortoise not of the same species since 1993. She has recently laid three, fertilized, eggs. The female tortoise that lays with George is the closest existing match for his species.

Ecologists at the Galapagos National Park are caring for the eggs in a specialized, artificial, incubator but it will be one-hundred and twenty days before they will know if the eggs will hatch or not.

George was found in 1972 on Pinta island. He is thought to be in his 70s which will make him middle aged for a tortoise in his species.

The eggs were laid after 36 years of multiple efforts with many different female tortoises close to George's species. The park said in a statement that "We thought it was impossible for the tortoise known as Lonesome George to reproduce," so it was a surprise to locals as well as the zoo keepers that watch over George and his 'mate'.

George has, in the past, not been interested in reproducing and former keepers of his believed that he could not, or possibly simply did not want to reproduce. So past and present keepers are keeping their fingers crossed that in one-hundred and twenty days they will be informed that the eggs will hatch and George will, finally, have the chance for a family.