One of aKind
A Very Large Tortolse
Giant tortoises are the biggest tortoises in the world. A long time ago, many giant tortoises lived on Pinta Island. Most tortoises need their shells to protect them. The giant tortoises on Pinta Island didn't need their shells for this. They didn't have predators（天敌）.
One Rare Animal
Lonesome George was a giant tortoise. He was a very rare animal. He was the last tortoise of his kind in the world. Giant tortoises were not always rare. When dinosaurs lived, there were millions of giant tortoises. Many of them lived on Pinta Island.
Giant Tortoises Disappear
Many years ago, pirates（海盗）came to Pinta Island. Giant tortoises were good to eat. They took many away on their ships. Tortoises can live a long time with little food or water. So they were good food for pirates on long trips. Soon, （A） there was only one left. This was Lonesome George.
An Amazing Discovery
It was very exciting to find Lonesome George. He was the only one of his kind in the world. Scientists thought he could have been seventy or eighty years old. This is not really old for a giant tortoise. Some can live to be two hundred years old.
A New Home for Lonesome George
Lonesome George couldn't be left on Pinta Island. He was taken to a place where scientists could take care of him. There was a lot of space for him in his new home. Many people came to see Lonesome George. He really looked like an animal that lived with the dinosaurs.
Gone Forever
There are many other giant tortoises. However, none of them are the same kind as Lonesome George was：When Lonesome George died, his kind became extinct, that means they are gone forever, like the dinosaurs.
