Giant turtles call it quits on '115 year marriage'

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After spending an incredible 115 years together as a couple, two giant turtles at an Austrian zoo have gone their separate ways, refusing to share a cage any longer.

The falling out, which has baffled the zoo officials, marks the end of the world's oldest animal 'marriage'.

"We get the feeling they can't stand the sight of each other anymore," the Daily Mail quoted Zoo boss Helga Happ as telling The Austrian Times. Bibi and Poldi have happily rubbed along at the Austrian zoo in Klagenfurt for 36 years, having moved together from Basel zoo in Switzerland.

Both 115 years old, the pair grew up together and eventually became an item.

"But for no reason that anyone can discover they seem to have fallen out, they just can't stand each other," Happ said.

It seems that it was Bibi, the female, who initiated the break-up.

According to the paper, staff at the zoo realised all was not well when Bibi attacked Poldi, biting off a chunk of his shell.

She launched further attacks on her partner until he was moved to a different location.

The zoo even called in animal experts to try and reunite the couple with counselling but, so far, to no avail.

Trying to get them in a more loving mood, the experts fed the turtles aphrodisiacs and attempted to inject some fun back into the relationship by getting them to play games together. Neither method has worked.

Happ told the paper that it is 'very rare' for animals who are a pair to fall apart after so long.

"We hope though we can bring round a reconciliation," she added.

Keeping the animals apart is crucial as, weighing in at 100 kilos each, if they wanted they could kill the other. Giant turtles have no teeth but instead have a horn rimmed mouth and a powerful jaw which can cause serious damage.