Darwin’s Tortoise: The Amazing True Story of Harriet, the World’s Oldest Living Creature

Meet Harriet, the giant Galapagos tortoise who turns 175 years old this year! When Harriet was discovered by Charles Darwin in 1835 when he visited the Galapagos Islands, she was the size of a dinner plate. Now she is as large as a table! Darwin was so fascinated by this strange creature that he packed her into a box and took her with him to England. Studying Harriet’s appearance and eating habits helped Darwin formulate his daring theory of evolution. But he soon found that he couldn’t keep her in frosty London forever. She needed sunshine! So, Harriet travelled oceans and highways before finally finding a permanent home at Australia Zoo on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.