Gramma the Galapagos tortoise, oldest resident of San Diego Zoo who delighted visitors for almost a century, dies at about 141

Gramma the Galapagos tortoise, oldest resident of San Diego Zoo who delighted visitors for almost a century, dies at about 141 Nation Nov 25, 2025 12:54 PM EST

LOS ANGELES (AP) — After more than a century of munching on her favorite foods of romaine lettuce and cactus fruit, beloved Galapagos tortoise Gramma, the oldest resident of the San Diego Zoo, has died.

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Gramma was born in her native habitat and was estimated to be about 141 years old, zoo officials said. She died Nov. 20.

It’s not clear exactly when the tortoise arrived at the San Diego Zoo, but zoo officials said she came from the Bronx Zoo in either 1928 or 1931 as part of their first group of Galapagos tortoises.

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