She was thought to be the worlds oldest living creature, a Galapagos tortois and she just passed away here on the Sunshine Coast, a few months hsort of her 176 birthday. She was owned by Steve Irwin at his nearby Australia Zoo. But originally by Sir Charles Darwin of theory of eveolution fame. He took her in a wooden sailing ship back to London about 1835,where she lived for many years but ended up here.
She was originally thought to be a male and was called Harry.
Rgds ian
Poor turtle…176…wow
Oldest living thing thought to be some western US trees and some 33 foot long worms that are perported to be over 2K years old (2000). My garden RR has been built to last at least that long. I just need to find loving caretakers after I expire. So far, no luck.
176 years old huh? Wow!
She will be missed.
I heard this on the Radio this morning. [:(]
She was older than a few countries on the map!
Major Carrales
You mean the mosquitos? Yea, they can be bad[:-,]
Yes that was correct she was a tortois not a turtle, they have flippers.
Steve hinself was on TV and he was nearly in tears, she has been in his family since before he was born.
That rubbish about the trees just goes to show how shallow some people are.
I have aslo heard that you yanks reckon those trees are the argest living thing on the planet as well. try to compare that to the Australian Great barrier reef 1200 miles or 1500 km long. It is the longest and reef in world and it is also the worlds largest marine park until just recently the Japanese have one larger now.
Rgds Ian
Bet she was quite happy she wasn’t a people! Imagine the income taxes she would have had to pay over all those years!
Bet she wasn’t too happy about being put to a bunch of other girls to breed in her younger days!
I think that has to be the gag of the year - my pants are wet, my sides ache - thanks for the laugh!
As for poor old Harriet, at least she got to try a few alternatives, both boys and girls!
Only 176 years old? Slacker. She could have made it to 180.
BTW, the redwood trees of the American North West are the oldest, not the largest, living things at least on dry land. The barrier reef is a clear winner in the largest contest. I don’t think anybody knows for certain how old the reef is, but I’m sure it’s in the running for that title also.
Oldest Chelonian
A Madagascar radiated tortoise (Astrochelys radiata) presented to the Tongan royal family by the British explorer Captain Cook in either 1773 or 1777 lived to the age of at least 188. It died in 1965. The animal was called Tui Malila.
If she could have lasted another 12 years and one day - she could have held a record!
That is just slack!
Mind you, living with Steve Irwin, I wouldn’t be surprised if she found her digoxin tablets and took a few extra!
Be enough to drive anyone over the edge.
Nic mate you are so right; I actually went to see that Tortois in Tonga, it was owned by King Taupo 4 th and it had died a few months before i got there.
I actually had “tea” with one of his sisters Princess Like Like. (pron Licky Licky same as the street by the same name in Hawaii) wonderful friendly people the Tongans .
Did you know they are officiall y the largest race of people on the planet and you should see them play football, mainly Rugby Union.
Ian
In related news…several sea turtles were released into the SEA in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Kemp’s ridley turtles to be exact!!!
http://www.caller.com/ccct/local_news/article/0,1641,CCCT_811_4802136,00.html
Hehehe, when I was going to high school, there was a small Tongan community there, we always stayed on those kids good side!
Joe mate.
That is not related news, very interesting and worthwhile but not related.
Rgds ian
Ian,
I suppose that Harriet is somehow remotely related to the subject of Garden Railways?
Ok just to be a [}:)]. Lets see many garden railways have ponds, and in these ponds live a relative of the tortois family, turtles. SO you are both right, they are related to garden railroading and tortois [;)][:P][:)][:D]