A Galapagos tortoise named Gramma, who lived 141 years, has died at the San Diego Zoo. This animal was the oldest inhabitant of the zoo and witnessed two world wars, as well as the rule of 20 US presidents. Zoo staff, who affectionately called her” the queen”, reported that the cause of death was age-related diseases, which caused the animal to be euthanized.
Gramma left a deep mark in the hearts of many visitors, who shared warm memories of her. One of the visitors said that his first impression of the zoo was associated with riding on the back of a turtle at the age of three. This story highlights the long life of these amazing creatures and their ability to experience significant historical events.
Galapagos turtles are famous for their longevity: in nature they live for more than 100 years, and in captivity this period can be almost twice as long. The previous record was held by the Turtle Harriet, who lived to 175 years old. Unfortunately, many subspecies of Galapagos tortoises are endangered, but captive breeding programs, which began in 1965, have already allowed the release of more than 10,000 individuals into the wild, which has helped save some subspecies.
