Quito, Jun 11 (EFE).- The body of the giant tortoise known as "Lonesome George," which died a year ago, is being embalmed in the United States, a process after which it will be returned to Ecuador to be exhibited in the Galapagos archipelago. Jorge will thus become a "wake-up call to make people see what can happen to a species if we humans keep destroying our home, the natural world, without realizing what we're doing," Washington Tapia, director of applied research at Galapagos National Park, told Efe.

Google has followed in the footsteps of Charles Darwin to gather images of the beauty and biological diversity of the Galapagos Islands for the Internet titan's online maps. A Google Maps team toting 360-degree cameras sticking from backpacks hiked trails, hills, and even into a live volcano to take Street View pictures of the precious environment where Darwin gleaned insights for his theory of evolution.

The body of "Lonesome George," a giant Galapagos tortoise once believed to be the last of its kind, has been sent to New York to be embalmed and then returned home, the Galapagos National Park said Tuesday. A rare Pinta Island giant tortoise, George died June 24, 2012 at an estimated 100 years of age. At the time, he was believed to be the last of the Pinta Island tortoises, but scientists have since found at least 17 other Galapagos tortoises with similar genetic traits to George, raising hopes for keeping the endangered species going.