Nashville Zoo's giant tortoise takes spotlight after a shell scratch (original) (raw)

May 24, 2026Updated May 26, 2026, 10:28 a.m. CT

A rainy holiday weekend didn't deter visitors to the Nashville Zoo or a May 23 post on X featuring Zannzibar the tortoise enjoying a shell scratch that already has attracted more than a quarter million views.

Zannzibar is one of three Aldabra tortoises, one of the largest land tortoises, and likes to munch on lettuce and other vegetation.

Her shell is made of keratin and a scratch should feel similar to a tap or rubbing of a person's fingernail.

Zannzibar is 15 years old, young for a species that can live to be 150 years old, according to the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. She weighs about 200 pounds, slim compared to counterparts that have reached 550 pounds.

These tortoises are native to Aldabra Island, one of the Seychelles northeast of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean.

When the tortoises are happy, they will extend their neck, make eye contact or move around their habitat. When they are scared, they retreat within their shell.

At the Nashville Zoo, Zannzibar and the other two large land tortoises can be found in an exhibit with goats, alpacas, clouded leopard cubs and Juliana pigs, known for their miniature size and spotted coat as well as a friendly demeanor.

How to get personal Nashville Zoo encounters

To plan a trip to the Nashville Zoo or to schedule a backstage encounter, visit nashvillezoo.org/visit.

Beth Warren covers health care and can be reached at bwarren@tennessean.com or on X at @BethWarrenCJ.