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| Celebrity pet: the rediscovery of Charles Darwin’s long-lost Galapagos tortoise | Celebrity pet: the rediscovery of Charles Darwin’s long-lost Galapagos tortoise |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Name: 1874.6.1.6Species: | Name: 1874.6.1.6Species: |
| Chelonoidis darwiniDates: 1834-1837Claim to | Chelonoidis darwiniDates: 1834-1837Claim to |
| fame: Darwin’s pet tortoise | fame: Darwin’s pet tortoise |
| Where now: Natural History Museum, London | Where now: Natural History Museum, London |
| When in | When in |
| the Galapagos, Charles Darwin and his Beagle chums ate a couple of dozen giant | the Galapagos, Charles Darwin and his Beagle chums ate a couple of dozen giant |
| tortoises, tossing their empty shells over board en route to Tahiti. But in his | tortoises, tossing their empty shells over board en route to Tahiti. But in his |
| Narrative of the voyage, captain Robert | Narrative of the voyage, captain Robert |
| FitzRoy made it clear that a few small tortoises had survived. “Several were brought alive to England,” he wrote. | FitzRoy made it clear that a few small tortoises had survived. “Several were brought alive to England,” he wrote. |
| For FitzRoy | For FitzRoy |
| had scooped up two tiny tortoises from Espanola (an island in the south of the | had scooped up two tiny tortoises from Espanola (an island in the south of the |
| archipelago) and took enough interest in them to monitor their growth during | archipelago) and took enough interest in them to monitor their growth during |
| the home stretch of the voyage: “a small one grew | |
| three-eighths of an inch, in length, in three months; and another grew two | three-eighths of an inch, in length, in three months; and another grew two |
| inches in length in one year.” | inches in length in one year.” |
| There were at least two other small | There were at least two other small |
| Galapagos tortoises on board, as noted by Darwin himself. One – “Covington’s | Galapagos tortoises on board, as noted by Darwin himself. One – “Covington’s |
| little Tortoise” – had been brought from Floreana by his assistant Syms | little Tortoise” – had been brought from Floreana by his assistant Syms |
| Covington. The other – “Mine from James” – seems to have been Darwin’s, | Covington. The other – “Mine from James” – seems to have been Darwin’s, |
| collected during his stay on Santiago (or James Island, as it was | collected during his stay on Santiago (or James Island, as it was |
| then known). It’s rather nice to imagine it plodding round | then known). It’s rather nice to imagine it plodding round |
| his cramped cabin as he set about cataloguing his Galapagos specimens. | his cramped cabin as he set about cataloguing his Galapagos specimens. |
| But where did Darwin’s pet tortoise end | But where did Darwin’s pet tortoise end |
| up? It’s a fabulous question that has given rise to a fabulous myth, one that | up? It’s a fabulous question that has given rise to a fabulous myth, one that |
| is documented in detail in A Sheltered Life by Paul Chambers. In short, | is documented in detail in A Sheltered Life by Paul Chambers. In short, |
| Darwin’s tortoise is supposed to have become Harriet, a giant tortoise that lived at the Australia Zoo in Queensland until her death in 2006 (allegedly transported down | |
| under by John Clements Wickham, the Beagle’s first lieutenant | under by John Clements Wickham, the Beagle’s first lieutenant |
| under FitzRoy). | under FitzRoy). |
| On its website, | On its website, |
| the Australia Zoo still claims “Harriet was | the Australia Zoo still claims “Harriet was |
| collected from the Galapagos Islands in 1835 by Sir Charles Darwin when she was | collected from the Galapagos Islands in 1835 by Sir Charles Darwin when she was |
| just the size of a dinner plate.” This, as Chambers clearly demonstrated in his | just the size of a dinner plate.” This, as Chambers clearly demonstrated in his |
| book and in a follow-up feature in New Scientist, is simply wishful thinking. He | book and in a follow-up feature in New Scientist, is simply wishful thinking. He |
| gave many compelling reasons, including the fact that Harriet appears to have | gave many compelling reasons, including the fact that Harriet appears to have |
| come from Santa Cruz (a Galapagos island not visited by the Beagle). Unfortunately though, Chambers | come from Santa Cruz (a Galapagos island not visited by the Beagle). Unfortunately though, Chambers |
| was not able to track down Darwin’s tortoise to another location, which would | was not able to track down Darwin’s tortoise to another location, which would |
| have definitively debunked the Harriet fable. A few years after Chambers’ | have definitively debunked the Harriet fable. A few years after Chambers’ |
| investigation, however, Darwin’s tortoise – missing for over 170 years – | investigation, however, Darwin’s tortoise – missing for over 170 years – |
| finally turned up at the Natural History Museum in London. | |
| I | I |
| emailed Colin McCarthy, former collections manager for reptiles, amphibians and | emailed Colin McCarthy, former collections manager for reptiles, amphibians and |
| fish at the museum, to ask him to elaborate. “I can | fish at the museum, to ask him to elaborate. “I can |
| pinpoint my discovery to late March 2009,” he says. Over the course of the | pinpoint my discovery to late March 2009,” he says. Over the course of the |
| preceding year, McCarthy had been busy preparing a list of reptiles and | preceding year, McCarthy had been busy preparing a list of reptiles and |
| amphibians collected by Darwin during the course of the Beagle voyage. When it came to the | amphibians collected by Darwin during the course of the Beagle voyage. When it came to the |
| tortoises he’d brought back, there were some loose ends, “specimens that had | tortoises he’d brought back, there were some loose ends, “specimens that had |
| been listed in early registers but not in later catalogues.” | been listed in early registers but not in later catalogues.” |
| Down in the basement of the museum in the now-famous Zoology Dry | Down in the basement of the museum in the now-famous Zoology Dry |
| Storeroom No. 1, McCarthy was going through some unlabeled specimens when he came | Storeroom No. 1, McCarthy was going through some unlabeled specimens when he came |
| across a small tortoise with its plastron (undercarriage) loosely wired to its | across a small tortoise with its plastron (undercarriage) loosely wired to its |
| carapace (shell). “Hinging the plastron back I noticed ‘James’” etched into the | carapace (shell). “Hinging the plastron back I noticed ‘James’” etched into the |
| surface, he says. “I could hardly believe my eyes and immediately put the | surface, he says. “I could hardly believe my eyes and immediately put the |
| specimen back on the shelf in case I dropped it in my excitement!” | specimen back on the shelf in case I dropped it in my excitement!” |
| Also | Also |
| scratched on the inside of the plastron, hidden from McCarthy’s | scratched on the inside of the plastron, hidden from McCarthy’s |
| predecessors, there was the registration number: 37.8.13.1. Armed with | predecessors, there was the registration number: 37.8.13.1. Armed with |
| this | this |
| information, he combed back through the zoology register and there, | information, he combed back through the zoology register and there, |
| logged on | logged on |
| 13 August 1837, were two tortoises “presented by Charles Darwin Esq”, | 13 August 1837, were two tortoises “presented by Charles Darwin Esq”, |
| one | one |
| corresponding to Darwin’s pet from Santiago (James) and the other to | corresponding to Darwin’s pet from Santiago (James) and the other to |
| Covington’s | Covington’s |
| pet from Floreana (Charles). | pet from Floreana (Charles). |
| From | From |
| this entry, it emerges that Darwin visited South Kensington in August 1837 and | this entry, it emerges that Darwin visited South Kensington in August 1837 and |
| presented these two tortoises to John Edward Gray, then assistant keeper of zoology at the museum. By then, Darwin had figured | presented these two tortoises to John Edward Gray, then assistant keeper of zoology at the museum. By then, Darwin had figured |
| out that each of the Galapagos Islands probably had a suite of allied yet subtly | |
| different species. FitzRoy had already deposited his two Espanola tortoises | different species. FitzRoy had already deposited his two Espanola tortoises |
| with Gray earlier in the year and Darwin was hoping that there | with Gray earlier in the year and Darwin was hoping that there |
| might be some clear differences in tortoise morphology from one island to the | might be some clear differences in tortoise morphology from one island to the |
| next. | next. |
| Unfortunately, juvenile tortoises – even ones from different islands | Unfortunately, juvenile tortoises – even ones from different islands |
| – look pretty similar. “The specimens,” | – look pretty similar. “The specimens,” |
| Darwin conceded, “were young ones; and probably owing to this cause, neither | Darwin conceded, “were young ones; and probably owing to this cause, neither |
| Mr Gray nor myself could find in them any specific differences,” he wrote in | |
| the beefed-up second edition of his Journal | the beefed-up second edition of his Journal |
| of Researches published in 1845. | of Researches published in 1845. |
| If Darwin’s tortoise has been in the | If Darwin’s tortoise has been in the |
| Natural History Museum all along, how come nobody noticed? Well | Natural History Museum all along, how come nobody noticed? Well |
| they did and they didn’t. Writing in Chelonian Conservation and Biology in 2010, McCarthy (and a | they did and they didn’t. Writing in Chelonian Conservation and Biology in 2010, McCarthy (and a |
| colleague Aaron Bauer) were able to identify both | colleague Aaron Bauer) were able to identify both |
| Darwin and Covington’s tortoises in a succession of museum catalogues produced by | Darwin and Covington’s tortoises in a succession of museum catalogues produced by |
| a succession of curators, ultimately being given a new accession number in 1874 | a succession of curators, ultimately being given a new accession number in 1874 |
| (1874.6.1.6). Crucially, however, Darwin’s name never appears alongside | (1874.6.1.6). Crucially, however, Darwin’s name never appears alongside |
| these entries. In 1844, for instance, Gray knocked up a Catalogue of Tortoises, Crocodiles and | these entries. In 1844, for instance, Gray knocked up a Catalogue of Tortoises, Crocodiles and |
| Amphibians | Amphibians |
| in the collection. Darwin’s and Covington’s tortoises are there but this is all | in the collection. Darwin’s and Covington’s tortoises are there but this is all |
| it says: | it says: |
| f. Young, 7 inches. Nuchal plate none.g. Young, 6 inches. Nuchal plate none, feet | f. Young, 7 inches. Nuchal plate none.g. Young, 6 inches. Nuchal plate none, feet |
| bad. | bad. |
| Based | Based |
| on a recent publication of the growth | on a recent publication of the growth |
| rate of young tortoises in captivity, a | rate of young tortoises in captivity, a |
| 7-inch carapace suggests that Darwin’s tortoise would have been just over three | 7-inch carapace suggests that Darwin’s tortoise would have been just over three |
| years old at the time of death. Assuming it passed away in 1837, prompting | years old at the time of death. Assuming it passed away in 1837, prompting |
| Darwin to take it along to the museum, it seems reasonable to assume it hatched | Darwin to take it along to the museum, it seems reasonable to assume it hatched |
| out in Galapagos in 1834 (or thereabouts). | out in Galapagos in 1834 (or thereabouts). |
| It might seem odd that Gray didn’t stick | It might seem odd that Gray didn’t stick |
| Darwin’s name into the catalogue. Then again why would he? Remember, this was a | |
| full 15 years before Darwin published On the Origin of Species. There was | |
| no way that Gray could have anticipated the celebrity that Darwin would become, | no way that Gray could have anticipated the celebrity that Darwin would become, |
| less still how much interest this small and | less still how much interest this small and |
| unassuming reptile would generate 170 years later. | unassuming reptile would generate 170 years later. |
| I’m thrilled it survives. It can be seen | I’m thrilled it survives. It can be seen |
| on a | on a |
| tour of the Spirit Collection. | |
| Happy birthday Chuck! | |
| Tale | Tale |
| ends | ends |
| There | There |
| are several loose ends to this story that remain to be cleared up. If you can | are several loose ends to this story that remain to be cleared up. If you can |
| help solve any of these outstanding mysteries, please leave a | help solve any of these outstanding mysteries, please leave a |
| comment or send me a message on Twitter @WayOfThePanda. | comment or send me a message on Twitter @WayOfThePanda. |
| If there is a zoological specimen with a | If there is a zoological specimen with a |
| great story that you would like to see profiled, please contact Henry Nicholls @WayOfThePanda. | great story that you would like to see profiled, please contact Henry Nicholls @WayOfThePanda. |