11/18/2005: Tortoise celebrates birthday

xoB sends this one. As your humble correspondent celebrated a birthday yesterday, so this Galopagos Land Tortoise named Harriet, three days ago at the Australia Zoo. Harriet is felt by some to be the oldest living being on the earth.

Born in 1830.

That's amazing - I don't even know how they determine that, but this beast has seen some years!

I heard a stat on some show - Lincoln was 21.

Wow! I knew these critters lived a long time... but Jezzz!!

I doubt I'll be that spry when I'm pushing 200.

They could have at least waited for Harriet to put her teeth in before they took the picture.
Look at her expression....I've seen that look on old people before...."Ya dang fool whipper snappers". :lol:


Hey..wait...Galapagos.....1830. Holy shit, she was a year old when Darwin reached the Galapogos. She could have met him!

In fact, Darwin is supposed to have brought Harriet back from the Galapagos with him (although some dispute this story). See http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/bulletins/radionz/200511152006/b798905.

Welcome to the Cellar, GreenYoda. :) Thanks for the link.

There is no doubt however over the age of Harriet, who for more than a century was thought to be a male and named Harry.

You think she's eyeing up the cake because she thinks it's a boy tortoise?

She looks pissed off. I wish I had a cake like that. Maybe for my birthday...

No need to move fast if you've got 175 years to get there.

UT is not quite that old. I should know!

...upon further investigation, that turtle on top of the cake probably isn't frosting. I want the huge turtle on my cake to be of frosting. Pure frosting.

Katkeeper wrote:

UT is not quite that old. I should know!

Let's see....39 minus 20 equals Tony's age of 19. :D

Brianna wrote:

...upon further investigation, that turtle on top of the cake probably isn't frosting. I want the huge turtle on my cake to be of frosting. Pure frosting.

Mmmm, I'm with you Brianna.

That's it for Harriet.

A 176-year-old giant tortoise believed to have been studied by famed English naturalist Charles Darwin, has died in Australia after a short illness. The extremely elderly tortoise, Harriet, was hatched on the Galapagos Islands in 1830 but lived out her final years at Australia Zoo in southeast Queensland where she was the star attraction.

Senior veterinarian John Hangar said the 150-kilogram (330-pound) reptile died on Thursday night after a short illness. "She had been sick yesterday with, in effect, heart failure," Hangar told ABC radio. "She had a fairly acute heart attack and thankfully passed away quietly overnight."

Hangar said Harriet, who had made it into the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's oldest living animal, had been credited with helping Darwin pioneer his theory of evolution.

Soup's on!

Soup? No way....Harriet's a special tortoise.
Everyone knows you can't eat a special tortoise all at once.:headshake

She comes with her own bowl.
That is special.