Gramma, a beloved Galápagos tortoise and the San Diego Zoo’s oldest resident, has died at the estimated age of 141. After more than a century of captivating visitors with her sweet and shy personality, she was euthanized on November 20 due to age-related health complications.
Affectionately known as the “Queen of the Zoo,” Gramma arrived from the Bronx Zoo in the late 1920s or early 1930s as part of the zoo’s first group of Galápagos tortoises. Her long life spanned two World Wars and the terms of 20 U.S. presidents, making her a living landmark for generations of visitors.
Her passing resonated deeply, with many sharing memories of visiting her as children and later returning with their own kids. Galápagos tortoises are known for their exceptional longevity, often living over 100 years in the wild and nearly twice that in captivity. The oldest recorded Galápagos tortoise, Harriet, lived to be 175.
While Gramma’s story has ended, conservation efforts for her species continue. All remaining subspecies are classified as vulnerable or critically endangered, but successful captive breeding programs, like recent hatchlings at the Philadelphia Zoo and Zoo Miami, offer hope for the future of these magnificent creatures.
By James Kisoo
