<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Map of the Galápagos Islands indicating species' locations </Td> </Tr> <P> The Pinta Island tortoise (Chelonoidis abingdonii), also known as the Pinta giant tortoise, Abingdon Island tortoise, or Abingdon Island giant tortoise, is a species of Galápagos tortoise native to Ecuador's Pinta Island that is most likely extinct . </P> <P> The species was described by Albert Günther in 1877 after specimens arrived in London . By the end of the 19th century, most of the Pinta Island tortoises had been wiped out due to hunting . By the mid-20th century, the species was assumed to be extinct until a single male was discovered on the island in 1971 . Efforts were made to mate the male, named Lonesome George, with other species, but no viable eggs were produced . Lonesome George died on 24 June 2012 and the species was believed to have become extinct with his death . However, 17 first - generation hybrids were reported in 2012 to have been found at Wolf Volcano on Isabela Island during a trip by Yale University researchers . As these specimens were juveniles, their parents might still be alive . The species is now declared extinct by the IUCN red list . </P> <P> "Lonesome George" along with other of the tortoises on Pinta Island, belong to a genus of 21 species . Giant tortoises were widespread on most of the continents except for Australia and Antarctica . Not only do the Galapagos tortoises remain the largest living tortoises, but in the Galapagos, distinct populations survived in multiple localities . </P>

When did the pinta island tortoise become extinct
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