The Galapagos Islands and the Ecuadorian government in Quito have started arguing over plans to keep and display the preserved body of Lonesome George, a famous tortoise that died two years ago. George lived on the Galapagos Islands for 40 years, the reason why the islands want it back.

According to Galapagos Mayor Leopoldo Bucheli, George was synonymous with the islands and it would not be fair to keep the tortoise in some other place. But, the Ecuadorian Ministry of Environment says that it makes more sense to keep George in the capital Quito as more visitors will get a chance to see him and conditions required to preserve the corpse are also better there.

As per original plans, George was to be returned to the Galapagos in January 2015 to put it into a display at the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island. The tortoise was discovered nearby Pinta in 1971. The discovery had left conservationists elated as it was previously believed that Pinta Island tortoises had reached extinction. The reason behind their believed-extinction was destruction of their food resource by non-indigenous feral goats.

An announcement was made this month by the Ecuadorian Ministry of Environment that a bronze replica would be sent to the Islands instead. While speaking to El Universo last weekend, Bucheli denounced the decision and clamored for the return of George to Galapagos. George was thought to be the last living member of the Pinta Island subspecies of giant tortoise.

Earlier this year, the body of George was taken to the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Taxidermist treated the body before putting it on display in the museum.

The country's Environment Minister, Lorena Tapia, said she would be really happy to see George return to the place it belongs to, but there is a big constraint in George's preservation there. She said, "Preserving Lonesome George's body requires special conditions, like moisture, temperature, physical space and security, in addition to the annual retouching made by the experts. At present, there is no site like this in the Galapagos".