It was nearly a century ago when Gramma was first brought to the San Diego Zoo in California.

Considered the oldest of the zoo's residents, Gramma the Galapagos tortoise has passed on at the estimated age of 141. It is unclear when she arrived at the zoo, but caretakers place her arrival at either 1928 or 1931. She died on Thursday, Nov. 20.  To give a perspective on how old Gramma was, the declaration of Philippine independence in 1898  at Kawit, Cavite, took place 14 years after Gramma's estimated birth.

Gramma was a fond sight for many visitors of the zoo, crossing generations over. Comments on the San Diego Zoo's Facebook page recall fond memories of older folks mentioning how they remember seeing Gramma when they were a child. Gramma was suffering from bone conditions that come with her old age, leading to her eventual euthanasia. 

Galapagos tortoises are known for their lengthy lifespan. In the wild, they can live up to 100 years. In captivity, they are known to live to nearly 200 years. The oldest known Galapagos tortoise, Harriet, lived until the age of 175 in captivity at the Australia Zoo. Despite the species' longevity, the Galapagos tortoise is considered an endangered species. Years of the tortoise being hunted down led to its significant drop from a population of 250,000 to a measly 15,000 to 25,000 tortoises out in the wild. There are ongoing efforts to try and breed the tortoises in captivity. There have been recent successes, with four baby Galapagos tortoises being born at the Philadelphia Zoo just last April. Their parents were both in their 100s.