She's With Charles Now

June 23, 2006 7:26 AM

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.
posted by justkevin (40 comments total)

And this should have been the first link.
posted by justkevin at 7:29 AM on June 23, 2006

"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

Both links are to the 2002 article...
posted by Malor 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

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posted by The Bellman at 7:35 AM on June 23, 2006

Here it is BBC Filter
posted by Elim at 7:37 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

That's a lot of turtle soup.
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

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I was just reading about her yesterday.
posted by Faint of Butt at 7:55 AM on June 23, 2006

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posted by bap98189 at 8:05 AM on June 23, 2006

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posted by Radio7 at 8:18 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

no, this is the oldest turtle
posted by cubby at 8:52 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]

She kissed like she was only 150.
posted by bondcliff at 9:05 AM on June 23, 2006

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

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 personally thought she looked about 130..who woulda known.
posted by willlangford at 9:14 AM on June 23, 2006

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I loved Harriet. What a sweetie. I am bummed.
posted by agregoli at 9:37 AM on June 23, 2006

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posted by Skorgu at 9:43 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

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

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

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posted by prostyle at 10:27 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

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posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:39 AM on June 23, 2006

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posted by terrapin at 10:43 AM on June 23, 2006

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posted by terrapin at 12:43 PM CST on June 23 [+fave] [!]

heh
posted by cellphone at 10:55 AM on June 23, 2006

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posted by stinkycheese at 11:08 AM on June 23, 2006

(x<
posted by dmd at 11:14 AM on June 23, 2006

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gottabefunky: Godzilla ?
posted by Pendragon at 11:43 AM on June 23, 2006

yup - marine iguanas
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.

.
posted by Sparx at 4:02 PM on June 23, 2006

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posted by moonbird at 4:42 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

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

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

Earlier related birthday thread.
posted by tellurian at 8:01 PM on June 24, 2006

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Visited her a couple of times... a beautiful creature.
posted by ajbw at 6:10 AM on June 25, 2006