Was this giant tortoise trying to be a monk !

Goerge the last surviving example of the giant Galapagos tortoise who died late last month aged 100 or so was like the pair of hooded seals at the Coney Island .

The Economist says this pair , “Were not only not mating , as they were supposed to , but also refusing to have anything to do with each other .”

Writing an obituary of the tortoise the Economist says “Lonesome George could relate to that . Though he was probably the last surviving example of the giant Galapagos tortoise he too refused to perform .”

“Scientists , tourists , journalists , conservationalists and the government of Ecuador all waited for two decades for him to mate succesfully or ,  indeed , get it on at all . He wasn’t playing .”

“In 1993 two females of a slightly different sub-species were put into his corral . He ignored them .”

“When at last he decided to do his duty , in 2008 and occasionally later , the eggs failed to hatch . Clearly he was a slow burner .Possibly he was gay . ”