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“What do Steve Irwin and Charles Darwin have in common?”
“What do Steve Irwin and Charles Darwin have in common?”
Have you ever watched an SNL episode of Emma Stone on a game show? If not, click the link. So the question goes, “What do Steve Irwin and Charles Darwin have in common?” The answer was that they both owned the same tortoise. The actual joke was about the commitment of caring for a long-living creature, which will likely outlive the caretaker.
But, did they really own the same tortoise?
Charles Darwin traveled to 14 countries on the HMS Beagle, including the Galapagos Islands. There, Darwin's fascination with giant tortoises, known for their longevity and unique adaptations, led him to gather specimens for further study and bring them to England. It is speculated that one of them was named Harriet. Born around 1830, the giant tortoise was merely the size of a dinner plate when Darwin plucked her from her island home. Where Harriet went after the stay with Darwin remains a mystery.
Fast forward to 2006, a tortoise also named Harriet passed away at an estimated age of 175 years old in the Australia Zoo, which was owned by “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin. The zoo claims that the Harriet they own was the same tortoise that once belonged to Darwin. However, scientists have challenged this claim. For instance, a micro-paleontologist, Paul Chambers, examined Harriet's origins, and his findings cast doubt on the veracity of the dual ownership claim. The genetic testing conducted on Harriet indicated that she belonged to a different subspecies than the tortoises Darwin encountered on his voyage.
Regardless of how the debate over Harriet's ownership may persist, Harriet's tale transcends the boundaries of time and ownership. As we are fascinated with her longevity and ponder the mysteries of her past, we are reminded that every creature has a story worth telling. And in the case of Harriet, the saga of a tortoise who traversed centuries serves as a reminder of the enduring wonders of the natural world.
Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq8Xlbb3bOw