"A species of giant tortoises from the Galapagos Islands could be brought back from extinction despite the death earlier this year of the famed 'Lonesome George,' a tourist magnet and conservation icon who was the last of his kind."

"Genetic material from George's species, which was largely killed off in the 1800s by pirates and whalers who hunted their meat, has survived in tortoises on the islands - and scientists think they may be able to bring the species back to life.

A study by the Galapagos National Park and Yale University found at least 17 tortoises on the Isabela island that are descendents of George's species, the Chelonoidis abingdonii."

Eduardo Garcia reports for Reuters November 26, 2012. [2]