Harriet

Harriet is an ancient tortoise at the Australia Zoo, a Queensland zoo famous as the home base of Steve Irwin, the star of The Crocodile Hunter. Believed to have been born in 1830, she is the oldest known animal alive today.

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Her birthdate is based partially on the story that Harriet was first captured by Charles Darwin in 1835 on the Galapagos Islands. As the tortoises were then dinner plate sized it is estimated they would have been six years old.

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There is some doubt as to the accuracy of this story, however Darwin did catch three tortoises and took them home to Britain aboard HMS Beagle. In 1841 the three returned to the Beagle and were brought to the Australia botanical gardens in Brisbane. In the 1920s the records on the animals were destroyed in a flood and as Harriet moved between zoos any link between her and the famed naturalist was forgotten. It was not until 1992 that testing determined she was a tortoise of the Galapagos Islands and was over 142 years old.

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Tortoise: Chersina...

Australia Zoo: Australia Zoo at Beerwah, Queensland, Australia is owned by Steve Irwin and Terri Irwin, who costar on The Crocodile Hunter, which is the name of their unconventional nature documentary series on television, as well as a spin-off series Croc Files. Their popular programs are shown on the Animal Plan...

Queensland: Queensland is a state of Australia, in the north-east of the country. It is the second largest state by area and the third largest state by population....

Harriet related Images and Photos (experimental)

Harriet Tubman	Harriet The Spy Book	Harriet Martineau English Writer	Harriet Tubman Imaging a Life (Hardcover) Book
Harriet Beecher Stowe House Hartford Connecticut	Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad	Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad	Ozzie Nelson with Harriet and Family on TV Show
Poster Advertising 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' by Harriet Beecher Stowe