Iconic Tortoise Lonesome George on Exhibit at American Museum of Natural History

Display of large tortoise standing, left leg lifted slightly. Neck extended, head held high. Green food stains on face and one-third way down neck.
© AMNH/R. Mickens

Lonesome George, the world-famous Pinta Island tortoise who was the last of his kind and became a global icon for conservation, will be on view for a limited time at the American Museum of Natural History. When he died in 2012 in the Galapagos Islands, Lonesome George was preserved by an expert taxidermy and conservation team in consultation with Museum scientists. The taxidermy mount will be on exhibit until January 4, 2015, before being returned to Ecuador as part of that country’s national patrimony.