The Search Is on for a Long-Extinct Giant Tortoise Now ‘Seen’ in Genetic Footprints
- Posted on January 9, 2012 at 2:46pm by
Liz Klimas
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(Photo: Yale University)
Scientists believe they have found a giant Galapagos Island tortoise thought to have been extinct for the last 150 years. But there’s a catch: they haven’t actually seen the animal.
So, why are they assuming said tortoise is not still extinct? According to Gizmodo, the DNA from Chelonoidis elephantopus has been showing up in another species of tortoise, C. becki, on the Galapagos Islands. Gizmodo reports that in some cases this tortoise has been revealed as a hybrid, meaning that at least one C. elephantopus could still be alive on the island.
According to Discovery News, Ryan Garrick with the University of Mississippi and his colleagues analyzed DNA of 1,600 tortoise blood samples from Isabela Island and compared it with a genetic database of other tortoises — living and extinct.
The research by Garrick et al. found 84 hybrid tortoises with DNA that identified them as an immediate descendant of C. elephantopus. Some of these are of an age that indicate the breeding would have taken place in the last 15 years, suggesting a strong likelihood that a reproductively mature C. elephantopus is still alive. Published in Current Biology, the researchers believe this is the first time a once extinct species has been rediscovered using a “genetic footprint”.
If a male and female purebred C. elephantopus are found, researchers state they could be bred for reintroduction of the species. If this is the case, the researchers believe that species hybridization is beneficial in that it creates opportunities “to resuscitate imperiled species through targeted breeding efforts.”
“This is not just an academic exercise,” Gisella Caccone, senior research scientist in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and senior author of the paper, said in a press release. “If we can find these individuals, we can restore them to their island of origin. This is important as these animals are keystone species playing a crucial role in maintaining the ecological integrity of the island communities.”
The search is on.
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Krutch
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 1:53pmI think there is a turtle in my creek. Can I have multiple thousands of $’s to go look at it?
I am reminded of the project where the libs wanted to track some desert turtle. So they branded the shells with #’s. Only to later find out the branding destroyed the reproductive glands and the animals were not reproducing. Idiots!
Report Post »codygreenhalgh
Posted on January 10, 2012 at 2:23pm“meaning that at least one C. elephantopus could still be alive on the island”
Anybody check the island itself???? Just saying.
Report Post »natstew
Posted on January 10, 2012 at 4:22amI know where they can find the DNA of some Neanderthals, though to be extinct for 100′s of thoudands of years. These are still breeding, they’re living in the White House.
Report Post »V-Forge
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 9:02pmwell as i see it, If YOU have the funding and the need to do this then go right ahead otherwise the turtle can just die. I‘ll miss the big guy but I don’t recall every personally having a damn thing to do with what caused the problem in the first place. Just another Lib looking for funding for a good cause who isn’t willing to live in a mud hut and care for the turtles out of their own pocket. I don’t mind them having their hand out, it is a good cause after all. i just don’t want taxes spent on it, ever. If you can’t fund it yourself then get a real job.. But then i’d have to ask, how much funding is going to the geneticist lib.. can they travel the 2 mile wide island in a toyota or do they really, really need the range rover pro xl turbo. with sunroof and built in champagne bar..
Report Post »1TrueOne55
Posted on January 10, 2012 at 12:38amI thought they believed in Darwins “Theory of Evolution”, with that said, then they should leave this last remnant alone to spread his seed among the residents of that island and maybe he can make the comeback all on his own. He don’t need Liberal Scientific help. Just have to look at other species that don’t like to have sex on demand in captivity and in full view of the world of the Zoo.
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 8:07pmSeems that to just “Show up”, a male or female must have been introduced from another area, or Jurassic Parked, or ??
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