Key points from article :
Beloved Galapagos tortoise Gramma, the oldest resident of the San Diego Zoo, has died at an estimated age of 141. Although the article does not name a lead author or journal—this is a news report—zoo officials shared that Gramma had lived through two world wars, 20 U.S. presidents, and nearly a century of California visitors who adored her shy, gentle personality. She arrived from the Bronx Zoo in the late 1920s or early 1930s and quickly became known as the zoo’s “Queen of the Zoo”.
In her final years, Gramma developed age-related bone disease, and her condition worsened this November, leading to her euthanasia. Generations of visitors took to social media to share memories of meeting her as children, then returning decades later with their own kids—a testament to the extraordinary lifespans of these iconic reptiles.
Galapagos tortoises routinely exceed 100 years in the wild and can live close to twice that in captivity. The oldest known individual, Harriet, reached 175 years before her death in 2006. Despite their impressive longevity, Galapagos tortoises remain vulnerable or critically endangered across most of their 15 subspecies. However, conservation programmes are making progress: more than 10,000 captive-bred juveniles have been released since 1965, and new hatchlings are still arriving at zoos worldwide, including recent first-time parents more than a century old.
Gramma’s long life highlights both the resilience of these ancient creatures and the importance of continued conservation efforts to protect their future.
