Recently, there was another threat when the tanker Jessica ran aground near the islands. It is believed to have leaked almost a million liters of oil into the sea. At first, it was feared that the islands' many unique species would be damaged, but the archipelago is expected to make a full recovery. By the time George was discovered, breeding programmes were known to be increasing the numbers of other tortoise sub-species, but is was acknowledged that his case was different. Unless a mate could be found, his group faced extinction. George was taken to the Charles Darwin Research Centre on Santa Cruz island and provided with a harem from related sub-species, but was said to have been uninterested. Thirty years later the last Geochelone elephant opus abingdoni is as lonesome as ever.