The amazing story of Harriet, a giant tortoise that lives for 176 years
In the vast world of animals, there are some truly amazing creatures that have lived through the ages and seen important events and the passing of time. Harriet, a giant turtle, was one of these amazing creatures. She was thought to be 176 years old when she died. The famous “Crocodile Hunter,” Steve Irwin, and his wife, Terri, owned the Australia Zoo in Queensland, where people were saddened by her death.
At the start of her trip, Harriet had an interesting and somewhat mysterious link to the famous naturalist Charles Darwin. Local legend has it that she was one of three turtles taken from the Galápagos Islands by Darwin on his famous trip on the HMS Beagle in 1835. The story of her friendship with the famous scientist has interested people all over the world for years, but historical records have not clearly proven the claim. DNA tests proved her very old age, but they also showed she was from an island Darwin had never been to, which caused scientists to disagree.
Even though some facts about her life aren’t certain, Harriet’s story is fascinating. She was probably only five years old and about the size of a dinner plate when she was brought from the Galápagos to Britain. In the middle of the 1800s, she made her way to the Brisbane Botanic Gardens in Queensland, Australia, after living in Britain for a few years. Interestingly, she was first thought to be a man and was lovingly called Harry. Her interesting journey ended at the Australia Zoo, where she became a beloved part of the Irwin family when they bought her in 1987.
Harriet died of heart failure, according to senior doctor Jon Hanger. Her life was very interesting and spanned almost two hundred years. Steve Irwin remembered with affection how important Harriet was to their family and how much they loved having her in the house.
Because of her age, Harriet was one of the world’s oldest living things, which is an amazing example of how long some people on Earth live. But she wasn’t the oldest tortoise known to man. That honour went to Tui Malila, a Madagascar radiated tortoise that was given to the royal family of Tonga by the famous British explorer Captain James Cook in the 1770s. In 1965, Tui Malila died at the very old age of 188.
Harriet’s death marked the end of an age. She had lived through a very long time in history. Harriet touched many people’s lives, both on the Galápagos Islands and during her years with the loyal staff at the Australia Zoo. She was a symbol of strength and endurance.
As we say goodbye to Harriet, let us remember her legacy and the mysteries she brought with her throughout her long and eventful life. Her story makes us think about how connected we are to nature and how important it is to protect the amazing animals that live on Earth. Harriet, the tortoise who may have met Charles Darwin in real life, leaves us with a sense of wonder that makes us want to respect and protect the complex web of life on Earth for future generations.
