Buzz
Are you alone, endlessly scrolling through online lists for entertainment? Think about the Curiosity rover, which must sing “Happy Birthday” to itself, or the solitary Lonesome George, who spent his later years surrounded by scientists and uninterested lady tortoises. These are just some of the loneliest creatures and phenomena on Earth—from endlings marking the extinction of their species to animals unable to communicate with their own kind.
10. The Tenere Tree
The Tenere Tree in the Sahara stood as the only tree for 400 kilometers (250 miles), serving as an important desert landmark. It endured alone for 300 years, likely growing during a time when the desert was not yet a desert. The tree survived its early years thanks to a well dug in 1938, which provided a consistent water and nourishment source.
Sadly, the tree's solitary defiance of time and isolation came to an unexpected end when a drunk driver crashed into the only obstacle for miles. Despite the inconvenience, it's hard not to be impressed that the driver managed to do it. The tree’s trunk now resides in the Niger National Museum, while a metal replica stands in the desert in its place. Here's hoping the next intoxicated driver steers clear of the metal version.
9. 52 Blue
52 Blue is known as the loneliest whale on Earth. Unlike other whales, which communicate at frequencies between 10–39 Hz, 52 Blue calls at 52 Hz, making it impossible for any other whales to hear or even detect his presence.
8. Toughie The Frog
Toughie is the final Rabbs' fringe-limbed tree frog. His passing will mark the extinction of his species. Yet, Toughie isn’t leaping through Panama’s rainforests or snatching insects from his favorite leaf. Instead, he resides in a simple gray shipping container called frogPOD at Atlanta's Botanical Garden.
He shares his space with 11 other rare species of frogs, but he's the only one whose species is definitively gone. The others likely fell victim to a global fungal infection decimating amphibian populations, leading many to live out their days as endlings in research labs rather than in their natural habitats.
The last female of his species passed away in 2009. Soon after, Toughie ceased calling for a mate. He no longer reacts to recorded frog calls, surely knowing that there is no one left for him.
7. Curiosity Rover
Stranded on a distant planet light-years away from Earth, the Curiosity rover has spent nearly four Earth years in isolation. But it's okay, right? After all, it's just a robot that doesn't experience loneliness or yearn for a mate who will never arrive.
Except, every year on its birthday, Curiosity serenades itself with “Happy Birthday.” It’s the loneliest little robot in the known universe. Try not to picture the WALL-E scene where it tries to hold hands with itself. It only makes the situation more heart-wrenching.
6. The Lonely Island of Hashima
Around 25 kilometers (15 miles) from Nagasaki lies an island that was once home to over 5,000 people. Hashima was notorious even when it was populated, as conscripted civilians and POWs were forced into slave labor, extracting coal from the mines. However, with Japan's shift from coal to petroleum, the island's purpose diminished. The mines shut down, and those who worked there left, abandoning the island.
After many years of isolation, Google Street View was granted access to capture extensive photographs of the site. Since then, the island has been opened to tourists, but remains devoid of any permanent residents. There are no intentions to repurpose it, with the island being preserved solely as a World Heritage site and tourist destination.
5. The Man of the Hole
Imagine losing your entire family, friends, and cultural group, leaving you the sole survivor in a world that no longer feels familiar. This is the reality of the Man of the Hole. We know almost nothing about him or the people he once shared his life with.
What we do know is that he digs 2-meter (6 ft) deep holes in small palm huts on his remote island in the Amazon rainforest. Researchers believe he may use the holes for hunting, but since no one has been able to make contact with him or any member of his tribe, we can only speculate.
FUNAI (the Brazilian National Indian Foundation) first investigated reports of a solitary man living deep in the forest. Local loggers denied seeing him, but their reluctance may have been due to their involvement in the destruction of his village in the first place.
After confirming that he was the last survivor of two massacres that wiped out his people, FUNAI declared a 80-square-kilometer (30 mi) area around him off-limits to developers. This land, traditionally his, is recognized as belonging to him as an indigenous person.
Sadly, the declaration didn’t prevent gunmen from attacking the Man of the Hole in 2009. Miraculously, he survived the assault and, as far as anyone knows, continues to live alone in the forest, digging holes.
4. Lonesome George
Lonesome George, the last known Pinta Island tortoise, was approximately 100 years old at the time of his death. Rather than enjoying a peaceful retirement, he was persistently urged by zookeepers to mate with females from different subspecies.
That’s no simple task for any tortoise, especially not for one who’s a century old. Sadly, even when George succeeded, the eggs didn’t hatch, and they had to try all over again. He was eventually relieved of this responsibility in 2012, and his body was preserved through taxidermy to be exhibited in various natural history museums.
Regrettably, there are now ongoing debates over where he should be displayed as the last of his species. This might make it quite challenging to visit him.
3. Humans
That’s correct. Despite constant communication in our day-to-day lives, loneliness is increasingly recognized as a major public health concern. With roughly 30 percent of people over the age of 80 reporting feelings of loneliness, recent studies reveal that men who have recently lost their wives have a 25 percent higher risk of dying within ten years compared to other men.
Loneliness has a real biological effect on our health, aging, and life expectancy. Unlike George, Toughie, and Curiosity, we’re not the last of our kind or stranded on an empty planet. Yet, loneliness still impacts a large portion of the population.
With loneliness in humans increasing the risk of death by more than 25 percent, we must work to reduce the number of individuals who feel isolated. Currently, 10 percent of people in the UK report that they 'often feel lonely,' and 48 percent believe that society is growing more lonely.
2. Solitary Escargot
You might not usually associate snails with loneliness, but being the last of your kind in a tank in Bristol would likely make anyone feel isolated. After being hunted and consumed by cannibalistic snails, these small Polynesian gastropods were relocated to Bristol for a fresh start. The hope is that their numbers will increase since they will no longer be mercilessly pursued and eaten by their own species.
The Partula faba—a species so unique that it doesn't even have a common name—was already extinct in the wild by the time breeding efforts began in Bristol. Eventually, all but one of the snails perished, leaving the final survivor, another endling with no name. Sadly, she passed away in February 2016, sealing the fate of this strange species of air-breathing, tropical land snails.
1. The Last Baiji Dolphin
Once frolicking in the Yangtze River, the Baiji dolphins were declared functionally extinct when not a single dolphin was found in their natural habitat by 2006. However, in 2007, a Chinese man saw one by chance, capturing a video of the dolphin leaping on the river’s surface, seemingly unfazed by the extinction claim. Unfortunately, no other dolphins were spotted with him, leading scientists to conclude that he might be the last of his kind.
Even if there are other Baiji dolphins, a small population wouldn't have enough genetic diversity to ensure their survival. Scientists have stated that they won’t update the dolphins' status unless enough individuals are found to form a genetically viable population.
