African Spurred Tortoise
African spurred tortoises is also referred to as a Sulcata tortoise, native to the southern edge of the Sahara desert.
They are the third largest species of tortoise in the world after the Galapagos Tortoise, and Aldabra Giant Tortoise.
Oldest Tortoises ever recorded...
Tu'i Malila, which was presented to the Tongan royal family by the British explorer Captain Cook shortly after its birth in 1777. Tu’i Malila remained in the care of the Tongan royal family until its death by natural causes on May 19th 1965, at 188 years old.
The Alipore Zoo in India was the home to Adwaita, which zoo officials claimed was the oldest living animal until its death on March 23, 2006. Adwaita was an Aldabra Giant Tortoise brought to India by Lord Wellesley who handed it over to the Alipur Zoological Gardens in 1875 when the zoo was set up. Zoo officials state they have documentation showing that Adwaita was at least 130 years old, but claim that he was over 250 years old (although this has not been scientifically verified). Adwaita was said to be the pet of Robert Clive.
Harriet was a resident at the late Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo, from 1987 until her death in 2006. It’s believed that she was brought to England by Charles Darwin aboard the Beagle and then on to Australia by John Clements Wickham. Harriet died on June 23, 2006, just shy of her 176th birthday.
Timothy, a Spur-Thighed Tortoise, lived to be approximately 165 years old. For 38 years she was carried as a mascot aboard various ships in Britain's Royal Navy. Then in 1892, at age 53 she retired to the grounds of Powderham Castle in Devon. Up to the time of her passing in 2004 she was believed to be the UK's oldest resident.
According to articles published by the Daily Mail and the Times in December 2008, Jonathan, a Seychelles Giant Tortoise living on the island of St Helena may be as old as 176 or 178 years. If this is true, he could be the current oldest living animal on Earth.
