Go homegirl!
Harriet is a local Queensland legend. She spent about 100 years of her life living in the Botanic Gardens in the middle of Brisbane. Any Queenslander over a certain age is sure to have a photo of themselves having a ride on Harriet's back.
I find it strange that people seem to doubt that Harriet may have been bought to Australia by Darwin. As that article says: "Harriet belongs to a sub-species of tortoise only found on an island that Darwin never visited". So, Darwin may not have visited a particular Galapagan island (inter-island trade of tortise meat seems a reasonable explanation)- but as far as I recall, there has never really been a huge trade Galapagos tortises between Equador and Queensland. Who else would have been transporting large land-based reptiles across the Pacific in the late 1830's?
Anyway - I hope Harriet is OK up there at Australia Zoo in the dubious hands of celebrity dickhead Mr Steve Irwin. "Her keepers believe she has survived for so long because she has enjoyed a stress-free life" - I guess Charlie Darwin never creeped up behind her and shouted "CRIKEY!!"
We'll have to get up there soon so that her namesake - my daughter Caravan Harriet can wish her Happy Birthday.
