Blackpool Zoo has announced the sad death of their oldest resident - Darwin, the 105-year-old giant tortoise.
Darwin the Aldabra tortoise arrived at the zoo prior to its opening in 1972. Described as a 'much-loved member of the family', Darwin was popular among visitors.
But after suffering from a severe progressive leg problem, the veterinary team decided to put him to sleep. Sharing the sad news on Twitter the zoo said: "It is with great sadness that we announce that Darwin, the zoo’s oldest resident and much loved Aldabra tortoise, has passed away.
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"Darwin had been receiving specialist treatment for a severe progressive leg problem for a period of time. Despite all the best efforts of his keepers and veterinary team, and consulting with leading worldwide reptile veterinarians, sadly there was no cure and his condition deteriorated, and the very difficult decision was made to put him to sleep.
"Darwin arrived before the zoo opened in 1972 and became an iconic animal due to his vast size and is the first animal that people encountered when visiting the zoo. He was a wonderful link for so many people to the fascination of reptiles and he has really inspired the next generation of conservationists.
"Darwin was thought to be around 105 years old, although we don’t have an exact age as there are no detailed records of his history. However, we do know that he is an irreplaceable feature of the Blackpool Zoo’s history.
"He had a personality on par with his size, making him a hugely popular member of our zoo family and was loved by all of our visitors. Staff and keepers are extremely saddened at his passing and are being comforted by the kind messages of condolence we are receiving."
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