The End of The Affair: Tortoise Marriage Ends After 115 Years

06/13/2012

Would it kill you to stop doing that?

You Never Come Out Of Your Shell Anymore

The apparent split of giant tortoises Bibi and Poldi after 115 years of wedded bliss has left an Austrian Zoo, let alone the entire tortoise community, shell-shocked as the two tortoises throw in the towel.

According to the Austrian Times, Bibi and Poldi, who were born in 1897, can no longer stand each other’s company at the Happ Reptile Zoo in Klagenfurt, Austria, which they call home. Rather than merely drifting apart with age, they've become violent — Bibi especially, who first alerted zoo staff to the breakup by attacking Poldi, biting a chunk out of his shell. Following several more attacks, workers had to separate the former lovers, ultimately moving Poldi to a different enclosure, as they now refuse to share a cage.

Where did things go wrong?

Bibi and Poldi both previously shared space at Switzerland's Basel Zoo, and have spent the last 36 years cohabiting at Happ Reptile Zoo.  It is thought the fallout ends the world’s longest marriage and was sparked by a biting incident

"We get the feeling they can’t stand the sight of each other any more," zoo boss Helga Happ related to the Austrian Times.

[Learn more about turtles and tortoises - this site]

Can't Blame Her For Being Annoyed After 115 Years

Counseling, time off for "me-time" and efforts to rekindle their romance by feeding the tortoises "romantic, good-mood food" have not worked.   Tortoises have been known to live for 150 years or more, so hope prevails that the couple will patch things up.

Perhaps Bibi just needs a girls weekend to decompress? Why do you think she is so annoyed?

-Janet McCulley