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Archives of The Cold Blooded NewsThe Newsletter of the Colorado Herpetological SocietyVolume 31, Number 11; November, 2004 |
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Herping in the Carolinas Gems of the Chesapeake Iguanas Overrun Island Timmy the Tortoise Snake Blankets Turtle History Really Sinister PREVIOUS ISSUES October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 2003 Index 2002 Index Earlier Issues About the Cold Blooded News CHS Home Page |
In Memory of Timmy the Tortoise -- 1844 to April 2004Reprinted from the Tortuga Gazette, the newsletter of the California Turtle and Tortoise Club, Vol.40, No.5, May 2004.Original source-BBC World News 7th April 2004. Timmy the tortoise dies aged l60 A tortoise who was a ship's mascot in the Crimean War has died at his Devon castle home at the age of 160. Timothy, who was first discovered on board a Portuguese vessel in 1854, was thought to be the country's oldest resident. He lived at Powderham Castle near Exeter and was owned Lady Gabrielle Courtenay, 91. He arrived there fully-grown in the late 19th Century. The castle's Rose Garden had been his home since 1935. He was also believed to be the oldest Mediterranean Spur Thighed Tortoise in existence. Timothy, who weighed 11 pounds (5kg), was found 160 years ago on board a Portuguese privateer by Captain John Courtenay Everard of the Royal Navy, a relative of the 10th Earl of Devon. He then stayed aboard a succession of naval vessels until given a life ashore in 1892 and was looked after by the members of the Courtenay family ever since. In recent years, he wore a tag reading: "My name is Timothy. I am very old - please do not pick me up." Lady Gabrielle Couurtenay is aunt to the present 18th Earl of Devon, who lives at the castle. During his stay, Timothy showed a keen instinct for survival, even digging his own air raid shelter under a set of terrace steps during World War II, after feeling the vibrations of bombs in Exeter. This year he emerged from hibernation as usual in February, but was suffering from a cold and had developed breathing difficulties. Tim Faulkner, general manager at Powderham, said Timothy had passed away at some point over the weekend. He said: "He had been quite frail lately, so it was no great surprise, but we are all very upset. He has always been part of the furniture." Copyright © 1998 - 2006, Colorado Herpetological Society. All rights reserved. | ||
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