Sydney. A 176-year-old tortoise, which according to one explanation belonged to the discoverer of the theory of evolution, Charles Darwin, died yesterday in a zoo in Australia.
Steve Irwin and his wife Terri with Harriet the zoo in Brisbane, Australia. "She was a great lady," said Irwin, the zoo's owner
Sydney. A 176-year-old tortoise, which according to one explanation belonged to the discoverer of the theory of evolution, Charles Darwin, died yesterday in a zoo in Australia.
Many believe that the giant tortoise, Harriet, was one of the three tortoises that Darwin took with him from the Galapagos Island, where he came during his trip on the ship "Beagle". But the historical data does not prove this claim, and some scientists have questioned the whole story, especially in light of the fact that DNA tests done on Harriet show that the tortoise came from another island, which Darwin never visited.
According to local legend, Harriet was only five years old, and probably no bigger than a plate, when she was taken from the Galapagos to Britain. The "Australia Zoo", which purchased Harriet, claims that she was placed in Britain for several years and transferred to the Botanical Gardens in Brisbane, Australia, where she was mistaken for a male tortoise and given the name Harry.
The zoo, located in the province of Queensland, is owned by "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin and his wife Teri. Irwin said that Harriet was like a member of the family. "She was a huge part of the Irving family's life," said the "Crocodile Hunter" yesterday. "Harriet was probably one of the oldest creatures in the world, and her death today is not only a great loss to the world, but a particularly sad day for the family. She was a great lady."
According to estimates, Harriet was the oldest zebra and one of the oldest creatures in the world. However, history shows that there were already turtles older than her. This title, awarded by the Guinness Book of Records, was won by Toi Malila, a turtle from Madagascar given to the royal family of Tonga by the British explorer James Cook in the 18s. Tuai Malila died in 1965, aged 188.
