No one knows exactly when Gramma was born. But if the estimated birth year of 1884 is accurate, Chester Arthur occupied the Oval Office and there were only 39 states at the time.
Far-Flung Postcards is a weekly series in which NPR's international correspondents share snapshots of moments from their lives and work around the world.
The birth of tortoises native to Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos increases their U.S. population from 44 to 48. A few thousand remain globally, according to estimates by experts.
