Adwaita
| Species | Aldabra giant tortoise |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male |
| Hatched | c.1750 AldabraAtoll |
| Died | 22 March 2006 (aged 255–256) Alipore Zoological Gardens,Kolkata,India |
| Known for | Believed to be the oldest terrestrial animal in the world, if verified. |
| Weight | 250 kg (551 lb) |
Adwaita(fromअद्वैत,meaning "one and only" inSanskrit) (c. 1750– 22 March 2006), also spelledAddwaita,was a maleAldabra giant tortoisethat lived in theAlipore Zoological GardensofKolkata,India. At the time of his death in 2006, Adwaita was believed to be amongst thelongest-living animalsin the world.
He may have been fromAldabra,an atoll in theSeychelles.This anecdotal report has not been confirmed.[1]The animal was one of four tortoises that lived atRobert Clive's estate atBarrackpore,in the northern suburbs of Calcutta.[2]Clive was said to have received the tortoises following his victory at theBattle of Plasseyin 1757, in which theBritish East India Companydefeated theNawab of Bengaland his French allies, thereby securing India for Britain in the long run.[3]Adwaita was transferred to theAlipore ZooinCalcuttain 1875 or 1876 byCarl Louis Schwendler,the founder of the zoo.[4]Adwaita lived in his enclosure in the zoo until his death on 22 March 2006 at an estimated age of 255.
Description[edit]
Weighing 250 kg (551 lb), Adwaita was a solitary animal with no records of his progeny. He lived on a diet of wheatbran,carrots, lettuce, soaked gram (chickpea), bread, grass and salt.[citation needed]
Age[edit]
His shell cracked in late 2005, and a wound developed in the flesh underneath the crack. The wound became infected and eventually led to his death fromliver failureon 22 March 2006. Adwaita is estimated to have been at least 255 years old.[2]If this latter estimate can be confirmed, Adwaita will have been the oldest known tortoise of modern times, living longer thanHarrietby 80 years,Tu'i Malilaby 67 years andJonathanby 64 years as of 2024[update].
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^Encyclopedia of Life (2014)."Aldabra Tortoise (Geochelone gigantean)".Encyclopedia of Life.Retrieved28 January2014.
- ^abBBC News – South Asia (23 March 2006)."'Clive of India's' tortoise dies ".BBC News.BBC Online.Retrieved23 January2014.
- ^Lal, Vinay (April 2006)."Clive and his Pet Tortoise".MANAS, UCLA Social Sciences.Retrieved16 June2020.
- ^"Zoological Garden".Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal:23–24. February 1876.
External links[edit]
- "Kolkata toasts 255-year-old resident".Sify.Archived fromthe originalon 27 April 2006.Retrieved12 January2019.
- "Worlds Oldest Animals".29 June 2015.Archivedfrom the original on 22 December 2021.
