Othello the Giant Tortoise (c.1925-2025)
Obituary
Othello was euthanized due to health issues after spending decades in captivity.
Othello, an Aldabra giant tortoise, died at the Saint Louis Zoo on April 8, 2025. He was well over 100 years old. He was euthanized due to health issues stemming from gastrointestinal problems.
Othello and Ray, another giant tortoise held at the St. Louis Zoo, came to the US as adults in 1938. It’s estimated they were several decades old then. Both tortoises were transferred from another zoo to Saint Louis in 2004.
Aldabra tortoises live on the islands of the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean. The Aldabra Atoll is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It comprises four coral islands enclosing a lagoon and is surrounded by a coral reef. The giant tortoise is at the top of the food chain on the islands, an unusual distinction for an herbivore. More than 100,000 Aldabra giant tortoises live in the atoll—they are the last survivors of populations that used to spread across islands in the Indian Ocean. Other critically endangered species also survive there, including hawksbill turtles and green turtles.
There is no permanent human population on the Aldabra Atoll, but a small staff of researchers lives there. Limited human interference has kept the atoll pristine and safe. However, it still faces significant threats from oil spills, the introduction of non-native species, piracy, and the worsening climate crisis. The IUCN lists the Aldabra giant tortoise as vulnerable.
The Saint Louis Zoo claimed Othello was an ambassador for his species, but his life in a small enclosure in landlocked Missouri taught children nothing about his beautiful island home. The zoo also used Othello in “public visitation,” and visitors were allowed to feed him carrots.
World Animal Protection urges everyone who loves tortoises to avoid zoos and enjoy them in the wild or at sanctuaries.
