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Harriet, dead at age 175


frogfish

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Harriet the Tortoise dies at 175

175th birthday bash

Harriet the tortoise, one of the world's oldest known living creatures, has died in Australia aged about 175.

Senior vet Dr John Hangar told Australia's ABC that Harriet, a Giant Galapagos tortoise, had died of heart failure after a short illness.

"She had a very fairly acute heart attack and thankfully passed away quietly overnight," Dr Hangar said.

Last year staff at Australia Zoo, where Harriet had lived for 17 years, held a party to celebrate her 175th birthday.

Some people believe that Harriet was studied by British naturalist Charles Darwin.

Darwin took several young Giant Galapagos tortoises back to London after his epic voyage on board HMS Beagle.

DNA testing has suggested the giant creature was born around 1830, a few years before Darwin visited the Galapagos archipelago in 1835.

However, Harriet belonged to a sub-species of tortoise only found on an island that Darwin never visited.

At the time of her 175th birthday party, Harriet weighed 150kg (23 stone) and was roughly the size of a dinner table.

She was the star attraction at the Australia Zoo on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

Her keepers put her longevity down to a stress-free life.

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What a beautiful creature. Tis a sad day. I heard Steve Irwin was devastated...:no:

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wow that's amazing at 175 years old! i heard that they can live for much longer!

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I also heard that Steve Irwin lost a 200+ yr old female croc a couple years back. He was in tears :no:

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I also heard that Steve Irwin lost a 200+ yr old female croc a couple years back. He was in tears :no:

yeah he loves those snakes, crocs and turtles it's amazing :yes:

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R.I.P Harriet :cry:

When i first heard of her I was impressed, what a sad day. :cry: She was also a piece of history, Charles Darwin! :o Poor Steve.

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I also heard that Steve Irwin lost a 200+ yr old female croc a couple years back. He was in tears :no:

That's understandable though. Still, some age! :o

Sorry to hear about Harriet though.

RKD

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I also heard that Steve Irwin lost a 200+ yr old female croc a couple years back. He was in tears :no:

Wow, I didn't know crocodiles could live for so long aswell.

Must of had an interesting life. :yes:

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:( Ive seen her quite a few times and have pics of her.
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yes this is sad however there might be another Darwin Tortoise we don't know about

But if that tortoise could talk

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Interestingly enough, Harriet was believed to be a male for around 100 years. It seems no one had been bothered to check until relatively recently.

R.I.P Harriet.

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Wow, I didn't know crocodiles could live for so long aswell.

:yes: She was captured from the river around the age of 180...

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:yes: She was captured from the river around the age of 180...

so that explains it :tu:

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