The Last Tortoise: A Tale of Extinction in Our Lifetime

by Craig B. Stanford

Tortoises may be the first family of higher animals to become extinct in the coming decades. They are losing the survival race because of what distinguishes them, in particular their slow, steady pace of life and reproduction. The Last Tortoise offers an introduction to these remarkable animals and the extraordinary adaptations that have allowed them to successfully populate a diverse range of habitats—from deserts to islands to tropical forests. The shields that protect their shoulders and ribs have helped them evade predators. They are also safeguarded by their extreme longevity and long period of fertility. Craig Stanford details how human predation has overcome these evolutionary advantages, extinguishing several species and threatening the remaining forty-five. At the center of this beautifully written work is Stanford’s own research in the Mascarene and Galapagos Islands, where the plight of giant tortoise populations illustrates the threat faced by all tortoises. He addresses unique survival problems, from genetic issues to the costs and benefits of different reproductive strategies. Though the picture Stanford draws is bleak, he offers reason for hope in the face of seemingly inevitable tragedy. Like many intractable environmental problems, extinction is not manifest destiny. Focusing on tortoise nurseries and breeding facilities, the substitution of proxy species for extinct tortoises, and the introduction of species to new environments, Stanford’s work makes a persuasive case for the future of the tortoise in all its rich diversity.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature

240 pages, Hardcover

First published May 15, 2010

About the author

A.k.a. Craig Stanford: www.goodreads.com/author/show/5631576...

Reviews

[Driftless · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extinction is forever. This truism has become a mantra for the environmental conservation movement. And while humankind's role in the worldwide epidemic of species extinctions is both deplorable and depressing, it is true that species became extinct before Homo sapiens existed and would have continued to do so even if we had never evolved into the world dominant techno ape. What I find even more disconcerting than the loss of a rare butterfly or fish is the decline of entire large groups of organisms. I had heard about the worldwide decline in frog species, but it wasn't until I read The Last Tortoise that I was aware of the global decline in turtles and tortoises. I think it bodes ill for the long term habitability of our planet when hundreds of reptile species that have flourished for over two hundred million years can be completely wiped out in just a few centuries.

You can read the rest of my review at The Last Tortoise.

[Frances Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like any book that tells about the threats to species worldwide, I found this upsetting and became increasingly frustrated with governments, businesses and private citizens, and especially the Asian countries where these animals are wild-captured by the thousands in the dubious name of culture and the pet trade. I found sections dealing with food, growth and reproduction very valuable for my work in animal rehabilitation.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tortoises are effing badasses.