The 176-year-old turtle, considered one of the oldest living creatures in the world, has died at an Australian zoo.
The giant tortoise, named Harriet, passed away at the Australia Zoo in Queensland, owned by Steve and Terri Irwin, where she was regarded as a family member.
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Steve Irwin and his wife with Harriet the tortoise. (Photo: pub.tv2) |
“Harriet may be one of the oldest living creatures on the planet; her passing is not only a significant loss for the world but also a very sad day for my family. She was a respected lady,” Irwin stated. The animal died of a heart attack.
Harriet has long been considered one of the three tortoises brought back by the renowned scientist Charles Darwin from the Galapagos Islands during his historic voyage in 1835 aboard the Beagle.
However, historical data does not support this claim. Some scientists have expressed skepticism about the story; DNA testing confirmed Harriet’s age but indicated that she originated from an island that Darwin never visited.
According to local folklore, Harriet was only 5 years old and no larger than a plate when she was brought from the Galapagos to England. This tortoise lived for several years in the UK before being transferred to the Brisbane Botanic Gardens in Queensland, Australia, in the mid-19th century. Here, she was mistakenly identified as a male tortoise and named Harry, according to the Australia Zoo, which purchased her in 1987.
Harriet was once considered one of the oldest living tortoises in the world and among the longest-lived creatures. Despite her long lifespan, Harriet is not the oldest known tortoise.
That title belongs to Tui Malila, a Madagascar tortoise gifted to the Tongan royal family by British explorer James Cook in the 1770s. It died in 1965 at the age of 188.
T. An
