Gus the tortoise observes his 100th birthday in characteristic strong, silent style

Nova Scotia’s most beloved reptile is now 100 — or shut sufficient for a celebration. 

Gus the gopher tortoise has been in residence on the Nova Scotia Museum of Pure Historical past in RisePEI since 1942. Whereas his precise hatching day is misplaced to historical past, August looks as if the correct time to rejoice. 

“So it is a median time, mid-August, for when tortoises begin to hatch from their eggs,” mentioned Liz Spence, one of many museum’s curatorial employees who takes care of Gus. “But in addition time for guests to return. So we may accommodate lots of people for a gathering like this.”

In 1942, the director of the province’s provincial museum purchased Gus from a pet retailer in Florida for a modest $5.

Reverse snowbird

As a result of the burrowing tortoises are threatened in Florida, he would not be allowed to to migrate as we speak. 

Gus’s birthdays have been a museum occasion because the early Nineteen Eighties. 

Within the early days, Gus had free vary of the museum’s galleries. Outdated images present his shell polished from the fingers of curious guests.

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At the moment, kids nonetheless enjoyment of becoming a member of him on his day by day walks, however touching is just not allowed.

This 12 months, Gus’s occasion will final a whole weekend, with twice-daily rounds of singing Joyful Hatch-Day To You, and punctiliously organized plates of Gus’s favourites: blueberries, bananas and romaine lettuce. 

Birthday treats ignored

On the 11 a.m. AT birthday refrain on Friday, dozens of youngsters sang on the high of their lungs whereas Gus sat immobile on a sq. of beige carpet, blinking sometimes, and ignoring the meals. 

Spence says he normally perks up within the afternoon.

“He is by no means slowed down in his velocity. He is all the time been constant along with his weight loss program,” she mentioned. “And only a nice character, an excellent mind set. He all the time needs to go for his walks.” 

It is a powerful show of consistency from the oldest tortoise of his form on file. Gopher tortoises stay from 40 to 80 years within the wild.

“I am hopeful for a lot of, many extra years from Gus,” Spence mentioned.

After the birthday refrain, Gus’s visitors requested Spence many questions, equivalent to when he falls asleep (8 p.m.), how he bathes (in just a few centimetres of water) and the way nicely he digs (fairly nicely; he is engaged on a burrow on the museum garden).

Spence confirmed off a show of classic Gus memorabilia within the foyer, together with a letter from a Galapagos tortoise in 1979, a pewter Christmas decoration, pins, magnets and a limited-release native root beer. 

Booming enterprise

At the moment the reward store is doing brisk enterprise in Gus’s birthday merch — T-shirts and tote baggage are practically offered out. Pins and stickers are nonetheless accessible.

Spence makes certain Gus is compensated for using his picture.

“He will get his payout in bananas and lettuce. That is how he prefer to take his reduce,” Spence mentioned.

Anybody who needs to increase good needs to Gus in individual can cease by on Saturday and Sunday for his birthday appearances at 11 a.m. and a pair of p.m.

After that, Spence says you possibly can catch Gus round 3 p.m. on his common day by day stroll.