The Black Hills Travel Blog

Happy 128th Birthday Methuselah!

By • May 28th, 2009 • Category: Events

Methuselah

South Dakota’s oldest resident is over 120 years-old, weighs 600 pounds, is a strict vegetarian and formerly dwelled at the Galapagos Islands.

You might have already guessed this, but the resident I’m referring to isn’t human.  I’m actually talking about a tortoise named Methuselah (Earl for short), who has lived in Reptile Gardens in Rapid City since 1956.

This June marks Methuselah’s 128th birthday. Along with his birthday celebration, Reptile Gardens will also hold Guest Appreciation Weekend from the 13-14. Activities are planned for children and families, along with cake and Methuselah’s beloved watermelon, of course.

If you can’t tell by the picture, giant tortoises are a big hit with the kids. Methuselah is one of the park’s most popular attractions, and probably could be for another 70 years (The expected life span of a Galapagos Tortoise is 200 years, oh and he might just have another 100 pounds to gain).  From what I gather, he lives a stress-free and slow-paced life, and enjoys spending some of his days cooling down in mud holes.

You might want to visit Methuselah the birthday boy and the over 200 other creatures like crocodiles, snakes, frogs, prairie dogs and komodo dragons at Reptile Gardens this summer. Check out their hours and tour times here.

About the Author

is originally from De Smet, South Dakota, where she spent her time giving Laura Ingalls Wilder tours until she moved across the state to the Black Hills area to attend college. She is a recent graduate of Black Hills University, where she received a bachelor of arts degree with a double major in Public Relations and Spanish. On two different occasions Heather has fed her love of travel as an exchange student: a summer in Japan at age 17, and semester in Mexico in spring of 2008. Traveling and sightseeing are things she plans to keep on her agenda, and she's currently working on applying to graduate school. Heather has loved living in the area the past five years. When not working, she is usually spending time with her friends or reading.
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