How to Preserve the Last of a Species

Museum scientists and a master taxidermist describe the painstaking process—part art, part science--of preserving Lonesome George, the famous Pinta Island tortoise who died in 2012 in the Galapagos Islands. As the last known survivor of the tortoise species Chelonoidis abingdoni, Lonesome George served as a global icon of conservation—and a reminder of the urgent need to address ever-increasing extinctions. After a limited time on view at the Museum Lonesome George returns to Ecuador as part of that nation’s patrimony.

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The Lonesome George exhibit is on view in the Astor Turret on the Museum's fourth floor from September 19, 2014, through January 4, 2015. Learn more about the exhibition: http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/curre...

VIDEO CREDITS

MUSIC
“Indigo” by Guillermo De La Barreda, Tomas Jacobi, and Nicholas Berry/
Warner Chappell Production Music
“Early Fog Lifter” by Ken Lewis, Scott Dente and Matt Stanfield/
Warner Chappell Production Music
“Viaje Por Carretera” by Alex Wilson/
Warner Chappell Production Music
“Moving South” by Alexander Salter/
Warner Chappell Production Music

TITLE SEQUENCE
Alberto Ludena

ILLUSTRATIONS
George A. Dante, Jr.
Roelant Savery

PHOTOGRAPHY
AMNH/C. Chesek
AMNH/D. Finnin
AMNH/R. Mickens
Ole Hamann
Alizon Llerena
Pete Oxford/Minden Pictures/Corbis
Galapagos Conservancy
Galapagos National Park
James Gibbs
Charles Shelby

VIDEO
AMNH/J. Bauerle
AMNH/E. Chapman
AMNH/L. Stevens
Galapagos Digital.com/Miguel Alvear

EXHIBITION
Lonesome George is presented in collaboration with the Galapagos National Park Directorate and Galapagos Conservancy.

SPANISH TRANSLATION
Courtesy of Cecilia Alvear


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