topics
tools
Expatica countries
Index Last Var.(%)
BEL 20 2117.66 -0.08
DAX 6323.19 -0.26
IBEX 30 6399.1 -2.20
CAC 40 3042.97 -0.16
FTSE 100 5356.34 0.09
AEX 292.76 0.00
DJIA 12454.83 -0.60
Nasdaq 2837.53 -0.07
FTSE MIB 13057.26 -0.74
TSX Composite 11549.71 -0.23
ASX 4120.2 0.96
Hang seng 18800.99 0.47
Straits Times 2787.22 0.52
ISEQ 20 501.76 0.16
You are here: Home News French News Giant tortoise in France dies at 146

French News

archive
Enlarge font Decrease font Text size


05/12/2009Giant tortoise in France dies at 146

One of the oldest giant tortoises in Europe has died at its home in Paris at the age of 146, its carers said on Friday.

Paris - One of the oldest giant tortoises in Europe has died at its home in Paris at the age of 146, its carers said on Friday.

Kiki, a male tortoise, was brought to France fully grown from Mauritius in 1923, Michel Saint-Jalme, director of the wildlife centre in Paris's Jardin des Plantes where the animal lived, told AFP.

Kiki stayed in Paris throughout the German occupation in the World War ll right up to his death on Monday from an infection due to lesions in his gut -- something not unusual for a tortoise of his age, Saint-Jalme said.

"He was eating normally," Saint-Jalme said. "But he had been showing signs that he was not well for several days."

Kiki weighed 250 kilograms (550 pounds) and had to be moved around using a fork-lift machine. He left behind him four other younger and smaller giant tortoises in the wildlife centre.

Saint-Jalme said he believed Kiki to be one of the biggest tortoises in Europe -- among some 375 of the endangered species of giant tortoises in captivity and 150,000 in the wild.

"We are all rather moved by his death, because he was one of the stars of the gardens," Saint-Jalme said.

AFP/Expatica


0 reactions to this article

Be the first person to add a comment

General rating: Not rated yet

Rate article:    Add my rating



0 reactions to this article

Be the first person to add a comment
Discussion Forums

Television in France

Buy fake passports, driver's licenses, identity cards

Eating & Drinking in France

Buy fake passports, driver's licenses, identity cards

Humour in France

Buy fake passports, driver's licenses, identity cards

Shopping in France

Buy fake passports, driver's licenses, identity cards

Films, Shows & Events in France

Buy fake passports, driver's licenses, identity cards

participate in the forums

Inside Expatica
Management culture in France

Management culture in France

This handy guide from Expertise in Labour Mobility includes information on business hierarchy, negotiations, and etiquette.

American associations and clubs in Paris

American associations and clubs in Paris

A listing of organizations in the Paris area that cater primarily to Americans living in France. Updated April 2011.

British associations and clubs in Paris

British associations and clubs in Paris

Our handy guide to the British community in Paris, from cricket clubs to Scottish country dancing lessons to where to find a jar of Marmite.

Anglophone services in France

Anglophone services in France

Here's a short introduction to our Banking section for those living in France, from how to open a bank account to Islamic banking and investments.