Hopes are fading for Lonesome George's chances of fatherhood.

(13 Nov 2008) Pinto Island, Galapagos National Park, recent, November 2008 1. Wide of pond, Tortoise - Lonesome George at the back 2. Medium shot of Lonesome George Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz island, Galapagos National Park, 11 November 2008 3. Park employee Fausto Llerena opening closet where eggs from Lonesome George are kept 4. Llerena opening box and showing some of the eggs 5. Llerena placing egg on weight 6. Egg on the scale showing 95 grams, pan to egg 7. Llerena showing two eggs UPSOUND: (Spanish) Fausto Llerena, Galapagos National Park " The egg ( the one he's holding on his left hand) is totally deformed,is not normal, a good turtle egg should be like this one, (showing the one on his right hand) this other one is oval, has lost its shape. It's one of the indicators that the egg is not fertile (tilt up to Llerena). Besides the weight is super low already." 8. Tilt down to the basket 9. (Q: Doesn't this happen to other kind of eggs?) 10. UPSOUND: (Spanish) Fausto Llerena, Galapagos National Park " Yes, but in a very small percentage." 11. Egg on scale UPSOUND (Spanish) " How much should they weigh?" 12. Top shot of egg on scale showing it weighs 66 grams UPSOUND : (Spanish) Fausto Llerena, Galapagos National Park " 128, 130 grams" Santa Cruz island, Galapagos National Park, 11 November 2008 13. SOUNDBITE: ( English) Godfrey Merlen, scientist and technical adviser to the National Galapagos Park: " Yesterday (Nov 10), the latest notice came from the Reproductive Centre for Giant Turtles here in Santa Cruz island revealing the eggs produce by females living with Lonesome George are not doing very well. It seems a number of them are loosing too much weight during the development process and the others are growing funguses on the outside of the eggs which is definitely not a good sign. It appears that at the moment most of these eggs will not produce live young." Pinta Island, Galapagos - 5 August 2008 14. Wide of tortoise George (larger tortoise) 15. Mid of George 16. Various of female tortoise with which George mated 17. Mid of George 18. Wide of George and female (George is larger one) 19. Mid of George LEAD IN : Hopes are fading that Lonesome George, a unique giant Galapagos tortoise, will become a father. After 36 years of unfruitful efforts, George was thought to have managed to fertilise as many as 11 eggs. But now scientists say there is a less than 20% chance that any of the eggs will hatch successfully. STORYLINE : The Giant Tortoise Lonesome George is the last living tortoise of his kind. The most famous resident of the Galapagos Island of Pinta, George was believed to have fertilised two females, who laid a total of 11 eggs. In 1972 an expedition found George wandering alone on Pinta island; the giant turtle was then captured and brought to the facilities in Santa Cruz. George was placed with two giant females turtles from the Isabella island whose shells had similar patterns. He is estimated to be in his 70s - middle age for a giant turtle. For 36 years experts tried to encourage George procreate, but all in vain. Experts at the Reproduction Centre for Giant Tortoise of the Galapagos National Park were surprised and delighted when earlier this summer Lonesome George, fertilised 13 eggs with two different females. However the latest news from the centre is that most of the eggs laid by the female turtles are showing sings of not being fertile. Lately, employees of the park noticed that most of the eggs had lost weight which indicated a high probability of not being fertile. Keyword wacky animals Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...