The Fraudulency of Lonesome George and the "23 extinct species."

[dangus]

Several mainstream news outlets are reporting that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service has declared that 23 species have gone extinct. Actually, 12 of them already had been declared extinct. Of the 11, 8 never existed in the U.S., three were never species but rather subspecies of still very-much-surviving species, and six are fraudulently identified as "species."

The most egregious example is the Pinta Island Giant Tortoise, the supposed last of which was Lonesome George who died in 2012. Lonesome George was the only known Pinta Island Giant Tortoise since he was discovered in 1971.

There are still plenty of descendents of Pinta Island Giant Tortoises, however. See, there are twenty-something species of Galapagos turtles; pretty much every island has its own. But they're not actually isolated species at all! Rather, they freely interbreed with each other. In fact, as Lonesone George was dying, researchers found 17 first-generation hybrids, including juveniles, on ANOTHER ISLAND.

"First generation hybrids" means that one parent was a full-blooded Pinta Island Giant Tortoise, and one was not. So this means that not only do these supposedly separate species interbreed, but there were other full-blooded Pinta Island Giant Tortoises somewhere else on this other island... or at least there had been recently.

How did they go undiscovered until 2012? Simple: they're identical to other "species" of tortoise. It was only after genetic testing that these hybrids were found to be descendents of the Pinta Island tortoises.

So, just to keep track. This extinct species of tortoise...

1) never existed in the United States in the first place

2) is physiologically identical to other "species"

3) contrary to the definition of "species," regularly produces fertile hybrid offspring with other "species"

4) is probably still around other islands

5) definitely has surviving offspring

[5th MEB]

YUP; and it’s going to continue regardless of what mankind does.

The Spotted Owl is one of the best examples I can think of, poor forest management practices have caused millions of acres of spotted Owl habitat to go up in flames here in my state (just finished burning over 200 thousand acres around my home here).

Those acres of habitat that haven’t burned yet will probably burn next fire season, the habitat that doesn’t burn is being taken over by the Barred Owl.

The Barred Owl is the primary competitor of the Spotted Owl and is pushing the Spotted Owl out of it’s territory (that territory is getting smaller because of piss poor forest management) and into the EXTINCTION CATAGORY.

It’s got nothing to do with logging in the Pacific Northwestern forests; a lot to do with REALLY BAD FOREST MANAGEMENT (Enviro Nazis) and a competitive species that is just a whole lot better at survival.

[bobbo666]

Such fraud in the treehugger community is common out here in CaCaLand. When they need to shutdown a new water storage construction, a new species of mud toad or such is “created” and everything grinds to a halt while a years/decades long “investigation” is launched.
So, we have less water available, and that is blamed (conveniently) on drought. Drought and water shortage are different things. Gawd causes first, corrupt politicians cause second.

[BwanaNdege]

“Don’t tell anyone, but all camelid and equine species that originated in North America were extinct long before Europeans arrived. Apparently a mysterious two-legged predator hunted them to their end.”

Maybe not! This whole fascinating series is well worth your time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRGW1tAEDMA&t=16s

Carolina Bay Formation Part 7: The Megafaunal Extinction

[BwanaNdege]

“Actually, 12 of them already had been declared extinct. Of the 11, 8 never existed in the U.S., three were never species but rather subspecies of still very-much-surviving species, and six are fraudulently identified as “species.”

Interesting! Any more info or Links?

[dangus]

I had to do research to find out about each species, the reporting was so bad.

Ivory-billed woodpecker - THE ONLY ANIMAL OF THE ELEVEN TO HAVE ACTUALLY GONE EXTINCT!

Pinta Giant tortoise - Never existed in the U.S.A. Not a real species, just a population of Galapagos turtle

Splendid poison frog - Never existed in the U.S.A.

Spix’s macaw - extinct in wild, but not extinct, never existed in the U.S.A.

Pyrenean ibex - Not a species, but a population of a species that is of “least concern.” Never existed in the U.S.A.

Bramble Cay melomyx - Never existed in the U.S.A., not distinct phylogeny, but rather named a species by being geographically isolated on a 2-acre sandspit, Bramble Cay

Western black rhinoceros - Never existed in the U.S.A., not a species, only a population

Moorean Viviparous Tree Snail - Never existed in the U.S.A., not distinct from other Moorean Viviparous Tree Snails to have been given a separate English name!

Po’ouli - only three birds have ever been known to exist

baili (Chinese river dolphin) - Never existed in the U.S.A. (This is, however, a particularly sad loss, since it was a very unique animal)

Alaotra grebe - never existed in the U.S.A., endemic to a single lake in Madagascar

[the OlLine Rebel]

Wait a minute…you wrote this yourself?

I do want to understand what is meant by “23 have gone extinct”. Where? When? Even these basic questions are not mentioned.

Is USFW concerned about all species everywhere, or only saying it’s about US species? Does it mean within the last decade? I know they don’t mean “forever” because that is far from the truth.

I can’t even criticize if I don’t know what all the parameters are.

[dangus]

>> I do want to understand what is meant by “23 have gone extinct”. <<

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have announced that 11 new species have gone extinct, in addition to 12 species that had PREVIOUSLY announced had gone extinct. News sources are pretty much unanimously misquoting the Service as stating they just announced 23 newly extincy species.

>>Where?... Is USFW concerned about all species everywhere, or only saying it’s about US species? <<

Most species have never existed in the United States, so it’s odd that they are the concern of the USFW.

>> Does it mean within the last decade? <<

The eleven I’m referring to have all been recognized for the first time as having gone extinct, but the last known sightings are typically older than the past decade. You could say that they’ve given up hope on finding them within the last decade or two.