Galapagos National Park, Ecuador —
When we heard Lonesome George died, we put on Bad To The Bone and poured one bourbon, one scotch, and one beer.
Soon, however, we learned it wasn’t George Thorogood of the Delaware Destroyers, it was worse.
Much worse.
This Lonesome George was the last of the Pinta Island giant tortoise species.
They are now extinct.
Discovered in 1972, George has lived the past 40 years in captivity.
He was about 100 years old, in the prime of his life, and expected to live decades longer.
George was well cared for and provided with many female, subspecies tortoises to mate with. In which, he showed little interest.
Lonesome George became the poster boy for the Galapagos islands and conservation efforts around the world.
He helped bring in over 180,000 tourists to the islands annually.
His death is under investigation.
Terrapin Station
Inspiration, move me brightly. Light the song with sense and color;
Hold away despair, more than this I will not ask.
Faced with mysteries dark and vast, statements just seem vain at last.
Some rise, some fall, some climb, to get to Terrapin.
Counting stars by candlelight, all are dim but one is bright;
The spiral light of Venus, rising first and shining best,
On, from the northwest corner, of a brand new crescent moon,
While crickets and cicadas sing a rare and different tune,
Terrapin Station.
