Gramma, a beloved Galápagos tortoise long considered the San Diego Zoo’s oldest resident, has died. Zoo officials said the tortoise — estimated to be about 141 years old — was euthanized on Nov. 20 after age-related bone deterioration worsened.
Gramma was born in the Galápagos Islands and came to the San Diego Zoo from the Bronx Zoo as part of the zoo’s first group of Galápagos tortoises, arriving in either 1928 or 1931, according to zoo statements and contemporary news reports. Over her more than nine decades at the zoo she became a fixture for generations of visitors and staff, often described as “sweet,” “shy” and affectionately called the “queen of the zoo.”
Caretakers said Gramma enjoyed simple favorites like romaine lettuce and cactus fruit and that her quiet presence connected visitors across many eras — she lived through two world wars, two pandemics and more than 20 U.S. presidencies. In recent years her keepers monitored progressive bone problems common in very old tortoises; veterinary teams ultimately determined euthanasia was the kindest option when her condition declined.
Galápagos tortoises are famed for exceptional longevity: some individuals live well over a century in captivity. Conservation work for the species has been a long-running global effort — breeding and reintroduction programs have helped raise tens of thousands of juvenile tortoises for return to the islands but many Galápagos subspecies remain vulnerable or critically endangered. The San Diego Zoo has long showcased the species and helped educate visitors about the islands’ unique wildlife.
Reaction to Gramma’s passing poured in from visitors and former zoo patrons who recalled childhood visits and family trips to see her. Local media and national outlets carried tributes that emphasized both Gramma’s longevity and her gentle public role as a living link to history.
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