She's With Charles Now
June 23, 2006 7:26 AM Subscribe
RIP Harriet. She passed away overnight from a heart attack. She was 175 years old, the size of a dinner table, and may have known Charles Darwin. She was Harriet the Tortoise, the world's oldest living animal, and lived a life of quiet dignity.
"By offering Harriet a relatively undisturbed environment, Mr. Jackson says zoo officials expect Harriet will still be going strong for at least another couple of decades.
"We figure she should probably reach at least 200 years old..."
Oops.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 7:29 AM on June 23, 2006
"We figure she should probably reach at least 200 years old..."
Oops.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 7:29 AM on June 23, 2006
Both those links appear to be the same (and from 2002), and neither mention it dying. Try again :P
posted by public at 7:29 AM on June 23, 2006
posted by public at 7:29 AM on June 23, 2006
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posted by The Bellman at 7:35 AM on June 23, 2006
posted by The Bellman at 7:35 AM on June 23, 2006
Oops, Dang I Slow on the uptake this morn, sorry for the repost..
Need Coffee
posted by Elim at 7:38 AM on June 23, 2006
Need Coffee
posted by Elim at 7:38 AM on June 23, 2006
That's a lot of turtle soup.
posted by NationalKato at 7:43 AM on June 23, 2006
posted by NationalKato at 7:43 AM on June 23, 2006
May have known Darwin? Hell, since we're already anthropomorphizing, she may have had the hots for him, too.
posted by pmbuko at 7:43 AM on June 23, 2006
posted by pmbuko at 7:43 AM on June 23, 2006
Rockfish commonly live to be 125 years old (one reason they are increasingly threatened) and Geoducks (a large clam) also live in excess of 120 years. It wouldn't surprise me at all if these creatures also had members well over 175 years.
and .
natch
posted by Rumple at 8:31 AM on June 23, 2006
and .
natch
posted by Rumple at 8:31 AM on June 23, 2006
how the fuck does a turtle live a life of quiet dignity?
posted by yonation at 8:53 AM on June 23, 2006 [1 favorite]
posted by yonation at 8:53 AM on June 23, 2006 [1 favorite]
They stopped allowing children to stick their spent wads of gum to her shell.
posted by Atreides at 9:08 AM on June 23, 2006
posted by Atreides at 9:08 AM on June 23, 2006
how the fuck does a turtle live a life of quiet dignity?
I dunno..maybe by not being used as a beer bottle opener?
posted by zerokey at 9:09 AM on June 23, 2006
I dunno..maybe by not being used as a beer bottle opener?
posted by zerokey at 9:09 AM on June 23, 2006
I personally thought she looked about 130..who woulda known.
posted by willlangford at 9:14 AM on June 23, 2006
posted by willlangford at 9:14 AM on June 23, 2006
Apparently she died because somehow a beer cap got lodged in her blowhole.
posted by Flashman at 9:44 AM on June 23, 2006
posted by Flashman at 9:44 AM on June 23, 2006
She kissed like she was only 150.

She's got Betty Davis eyes.

In 1835, when Harriet was only 5 years old and about the size of a dinner plate, noted English naturalist Charles Darwin landed on Isla Santa Cruz, her home. Shortly thereafter, Harriet and two of her friends found themselves aboard the HMS Beagle headed for England, marked as subjects of scientific research.


Rest in peace Harriet.
posted by nickyskye at 9:53 AM on June 23, 2006

She's got Betty Davis eyes.

In 1835, when Harriet was only 5 years old and about the size of a dinner plate, noted English naturalist Charles Darwin landed on Isla Santa Cruz, her home. Shortly thereafter, Harriet and two of her friends found themselves aboard the HMS Beagle headed for England, marked as subjects of scientific research.


Rest in peace Harriet.
posted by nickyskye at 9:53 AM on June 23, 2006
Spielberg supposedly based the sweet face of ET on one of these.
Darwin also ate giant turtles in the Galapagos, saying they made excellent soup.
Extra bonus points if anyone can name the other Galapagos animal that inspired a movie creature's face. Hint: made in 1998.
posted by gottabefunky at 10:24 AM on June 23, 2006
Darwin also ate giant turtles in the Galapagos, saying they made excellent soup.
Extra bonus points if anyone can name the other Galapagos animal that inspired a movie creature's face. Hint: made in 1998.
posted by gottabefunky at 10:24 AM on June 23, 2006
Woo I am SPOOKED. I read this link and thought "That's weird, I was just reading about her in the Guinness Book of Records yesterday."
Then I read Faint of Butt's comment
I was just reading about her yesterday.
And a little tortoisey shiver ran down my spine. Rest in peace, Harriet, it seems Metafilter was thinking of you...
posted by penguin pie at 10:31 AM on June 23, 2006
Then I read Faint of Butt's comment
I was just reading about her yesterday.
And a little tortoisey shiver ran down my spine. Rest in peace, Harriet, it seems Metafilter was thinking of you...
posted by penguin pie at 10:31 AM on June 23, 2006
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posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:39 AM on June 23, 2006
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:39 AM on June 23, 2006
.
posted by terrapin at 12:43 PM CST on June 23 [+fave] [!]
heh
posted by cellphone at 10:55 AM on June 23, 2006
posted by terrapin at 12:43 PM CST on June 23 [+fave] [!]
heh
posted by cellphone at 10:55 AM on June 23, 2006
.
posted by stinkycheese at 11:08 AM on June 23, 2006
posted by stinkycheese at 11:08 AM on June 23, 2006
yup - marine iguanas
posted by gottabefunky at 12:15 PM on June 23, 2006
posted by gottabefunky at 12:15 PM on June 23, 2006
how the fuck does a turtle live a life of quiet dignity?
That's just obituary hype. I got kicked out of quite a few pubs with old Harriet, let me tell you.
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posted by Sparx at 4:02 PM on June 23, 2006
That's just obituary hype. I got kicked out of quite a few pubs with old Harriet, let me tell you.
.
posted by Sparx at 4:02 PM on June 23, 2006
ABC News says that Harriet had been believed a Harry for many years.
Now I don't pretend to be a turtlebitsologist, but you'd think you'd turn the turtle on its back and make sure. Or maybe the confusion was due to 19th century prudishness.
Anyway,
.
posted by randomination at 4:45 PM on June 23, 2006
Now I don't pretend to be a turtlebitsologist, but you'd think you'd turn the turtle on its back and make sure. Or maybe the confusion was due to 19th century prudishness.
Anyway,
.
posted by randomination at 4:45 PM on June 23, 2006
Fry: This is unbelievable! What do you heads do all day?
Nimoy: We share our wisdom with those who seek it. It's a life of quiet dignity.
[Enter a woman.]
Woman: Feeding time!
[She shakes a box of what looks like fish food over the jar. Nimoy eats what comes out.]
posted by SPrintF at 6:23 PM on June 23, 2006
Nimoy: We share our wisdom with those who seek it. It's a life of quiet dignity.
[Enter a woman.]
Woman: Feeding time!
[She shakes a box of what looks like fish food over the jar. Nimoy eats what comes out.]
posted by SPrintF at 6:23 PM on June 23, 2006
From the size of a dinner plate to the size of a dinner table - I guess they couldn't come up with anything better than dinner to use as an analogy.
I hope Harriet is eating lots of flowers up in turtle heaven.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 4:42 PM on June 24, 2006
I hope Harriet is eating lots of flowers up in turtle heaven.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 4:42 PM on June 24, 2006
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posted by justkevin at 7:29 AM on June 23, 2006