In an Australian zoo, Harriet, the Galapgos tortoise taken as a pet by
Darwin 180 years ago, has passed away.

n jill marsh

On 24 Jun 2006 06:47:31 -0700, elen7557@yahoo.comwrote:


I just googled for her last week, to see if she was still alive.

While it has been demonstrated in all likelihood that she was probably
hatched around 1830, the Darwin connection has sadly been shown to be
legendary.

I highly recommend "A Sheltered Life: The Unexpected History of the
Giant Tortoise" by Paul Chambers. It's an engaging read and full of
cool stuff.

nj"only slightly bitter"m

--
"See, here he comes stealing through the undergrowth, his face shining with the light of
pure intelligence. There are no limits to Jeeve's brain power. He virtually lives on fish."

fugu

SYDNEY: A 176-year-old tortoise, believed by some to have been owned by
Charles Darwin, has died in an Australian zoo.

The giant tortoise, known as Harriet, was long reputed to have been one of
three tortoises taken from the Galapagos Islands by Darwin on his historic
1835 voyage aboard the HMS Beagle.

However, historical records, while suggestive, don't prove the claim, and
some scientists have cast doubt on the story, with DNA tests confirming
Harriet's age but showing she came from an island that Darwin never visited.

According to local legend, Harriet was just five years old and probably no
bigger than a dinner plate when she was taken from the Galapagos to UK.