Gramma, a Galapagos tortoise believed to be the oldest resident of the San Diego Zoo, has died at an estimated age of 141. She passed away on 20 November after suffering from bone conditions related to her old age, which progressed recently, leading to euthanasia.
Gramma was born in her native habitat and arrived at the San Diego Zoo from the Bronx Zoo in either 1928 or 1931, as part of the zoo's first group of Galapagos tortoises. Over her long life, she lived through two world wars and 20 US presidents.
Zoo officials said Gramma delighted visitors with her sweet, shy personality. Her care specialists affectionately called her 'the Queen of the Zoo'. Many visitors took to social media to share memories of visiting Gramma as children and returning years later with their own children.
Galapagos tortoises can live for over 100 years in the wild and close to double that in captivity. The oldest known Galapagos tortoise was Harriet, who lived at the Australia Zoo until the age of 175.
The species includes 15 subspecies, three of which are extinct, with the rest vulnerable or critically endangered. Conservation efforts have seen more than 10,000 juveniles released into the wild since 1965.
