Another nail in the coffin for evolution, as Lonesome George the iconic 100 year old Galapagos Island tortoise has died of unknown causes.

He was the last of his kind, which means this particular type of giant tortoise is now extinct. All efforts to encourage him to mate proved unsuccessful. He was found in 1972 and had become a symbol of Ecuador's Galapagos Islands, which attracted some 180,000 visitors last year. The giant Galapagos tortoises, which can live up to 200 years old, were among the species that helped Charles Darwin formulate his theory of evolution in the 19th century.

The National Park will carry out a post mortem to determine the cause of death and is considering embalming George's body so that it can be displayed in the park, officials have said.

Written and Presented by Ann salter