Although 100 would be long in the tooth for most humans, for giant tortoises Lonesome was relatively young: some are thought to live to 200 years of age.
Although advanced in years, he wasn't over the hill and had been trying to father offspring with a female partner. Considered to be in his sexual prime, he was however unsuccessful as the eggs produced were subsequently found to be infertile.
Environmentalists are particularly upset at his death because Lonesome was the last of his subspecies of Pinta tortoises.
In the good old days of the 19th century, tortoises were plentiful on the Galapagos Islands. Since then they have been hunted for their meat to the point of extinction. There now remain around 20,000 other subspecies of tortoise on the islands, but these creatures are now considered rare and endangered.
Lonesome's body will now be embalmed so that visitors to the park can view the body and the legacy of his subspecies can live on.
Quiz 測驗 1. What is the name of the place where Lonesome George was found dead?
His enclosure
2. What is the expression used which means to avoid the company of others?
Shied away from
3. Name two idioms used to describe old age.
Long in the tooth, advanced in years, over the hill, ripe old age
4. What is the word used for when a species of animal does not exist anymore?
Extinction
5. What is the name given for when a body is preserved with chemicals?
Embalmed
Glossary 词汇表 ripe old age一大把年歲了 enclosure圍場 shied away from羞於 long in the tooth年邁 advanced in years年老的 over the hill年老走向衰弱 offspring子孫後代 prime壯年 infertile不育的 subspecies亞種 good old days過去的好時光 extinction絕種 endangered瀕臨滅絕的 embalmed銘記於 legacy遺產
