125-yr-old giant tortoise dies at Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: A Galapagos giant tortoise aged about 125 years died at the Nehru Zoological Park here on Saturday due to age-related complications, Zoo officials said.

"Galapagos giant tortoise, male, aged about 125 years died today due to old age complications. He was off feed for the past 10 days," a release from the Nehru Zoological Park said. The Zoo Veterinary team was treating him for the last 10 days, the release added.

This tortoise is regarded as one of the oldest inhabitants of the zoo. Along with another 95-year-old tortoise, he was among the star attractions since the inauguration of the zoo, the release said.

This tortoise was shifted from Public Gardens (Bagh-E-Aam) in the city in 1963 after which it has been housed at the Nehru Zoological Park.

A postmortem has been conducted and the initial report reveals that the tortoise died due to multiple-organ failure. For further investigations samples have been sent to VBRI and Veterinary College, Rajendranagar.

The Curator and the Zoo staff expressed their deep condolences on the tortoise's death, the release added.

While it's impossible to quantify the exact number of people who had the privilege of seeing the Galapagos Giant Tortoise during its lifetime, its status as a star attraction undoubtedly drew crowds from far and wide, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of all who crossed its path.