To mark the occasion, the 265-kilogram giant tortoise was treated to a birthday feast featuring some of his favourite foods, including prickly pear, hibiscus flowers, carrots, celery and rockmelon.

Cerro has called Perth Zoo home since 2005 and remains a firm favourite among visitors, who are fascinated by his gentle nature and leisurely pace.

While turning 60 may sound old to some, Cerro is still relatively young for a Galapagos Tortoise.  

The species are one of the longest-living animals on Earth, with the oldest individual recorded at 175 years old.

Cerro's milestone is a testament to the dedication and expertise of Perth Zoo's animal care team and highlights the important role zoos play in global conservation.

Over his shell-tastic six decades, the gentle giant has inspired thousands of visitors as an ambassador for his wild counterparts, and Perth Zoo hopes he will continue delighting guests for many years to come.

Visitors can see Cerro every day from 9am-5pm. And for all the tortoise-lovers out there, Perth Zoo’s Galapagos Tortoise Animal Experience offers a tortoi-lly awesome time.

FAST FACTS:

• Galapagos Tortoises are the largest tortoises in the world.
• Galapagos Tortoises can store water and food in their body allowing them to go without for an entire 12 months! 
• Galapagos Tortoises are considered endangered, with less than 20,000 tortoises living on the Galapagos archipelago.
• Introduced species are now the greatest threat to these tortoises. Pigs, cats and dogs eat tortoise eggs and hatchlings.
• The average speed of a Galapagos Tortoise is 0.26km/h. To put that into perspective, the average speed of a human being walking is 4.5km/h!