Oldest Turtle (250 years old) dies in India

[ps1074]

Mar 23, 2006 — KOLKATA, India (Reuters) - A giant aldabra tortoise thought to be around 250 years old has died in the Kolkata zoo of liver failure, Indian authorities said on Thursday.

The tortoise had been the pet of Robert Clive, the famous British military officer in colonial India around the middle of the 18th century, a local minister in West Bengal state said.

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"Historical records show he was a pet of British general Robert Clive of the East India Company and had spent several years in his sprawling estate before he was brought to the zoo about 130 years ago," West Bengal Forest Minister Jogesh Barman said.

"We have documents to prove that he was more than 150 years old, but we have pieced together other evidence like statements from authentic sources and it seems that he is more than 250 years old," he said.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=1759186

[nutsnberries]

1. i wanted a pic, so i found him

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/08/18/stories/2005081801421900.htm


what a long life. it's fascinating to think about.

RIP, Addyaita

[anarch]

2. did ya hear about the guy who heard giant tortoises could live to be 250,

so he bought a baby one to see if it was true?

[Shine]

3. Wow, that's quite a long life.

RIP, old, wise turtle. O8)

[InvisibleTouch]

4. Charles Darwin visited the Galapagos in 1835.

It's cool to think that some of the tortoises who saw him arrive, are still alive today.


RIP, Addwaitya.

[UrbScotty]

6. ...and will likely be for a few more decades. (nt)

[rockymountaindem]

5. The last veteran of the Crimean War recently died too

Also a turtle, who had been a mascot aboard a British ship in that conflict. She lived out her last decades lounging about the lawn at the Tower of London. Not bad, eh?