4.4 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 11 June 2025
⏱️ 11 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
In 2012, Lonesome George, the last tortoise of his species died.
George, from from Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean, was a global symbol of conservation and brought to the attention of the world the reality of extinction.
James Gibbs, vice president of science and conservation at the Galapagos conservancy knew George well. He looked after the tortoise in life, and in death. James says: “You know, moving Lonesome George across the islands by truck, people were asking, what's in the box? I said it's Lonesome George and people were crying and it was just very moving".
He tells Gill Kearsley how time ran out for Lonesome George and about the legacy he left.
Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.
Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.
(Photo: Lonesome George. Credit: Rodrigo Buendia /AFP via Getty Images)
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0:00.0 | Before this BBC podcast kicks off, I'd like to tell you about some others you might enjoy. |
0:05.0 | My name's Will Wilkin and I Commission Music Podcast for the BBC. |
0:08.7 | It's a really cool job, but every day we get to tell the incredible stories behind songs, moments and movements. |
0:14.8 | Stories of struggle and success, rises and falls, the funny, the ridiculous. |
0:19.1 | And the BBC's position, at the heart of British music |
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0:44.3 | You're listening to the Witness History podcast from the BBC World Service with me, Jill Kursley. |
0:52.1 | We're the podcast that takes you back to a key moment in history |
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1:12.5 | turn your push notifications on so you don't miss out. For the incredible story I've got for you |
1:18.3 | today, I'm taking you back to 2012 and the death of a celebrity tortoise. |
1:36.0 | I half expect to see some frozen peas, a tub of mint chalk chip ice cream, and a bag of oven-ready chips. |
1:37.2 | But instead, I'm looking down on the carefully preserved remains of a giant tortoise |
1:41.1 | called George. |
... |
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