It's not every day that you get to celebrate someone's 190th birthday; in fact, we're fairly certain it's never happened before. That is, until this past weekend, when Jonathan — the world's oldest living land mammal and the oldest tortoise in recorded history — turned 190. The South Atlantic island of St. Helena, where Jonathan has lived since 1882, has been … [Read more...] about Jonathan, The World’s Oldest Tortoise And The Oldest Living Land Mammal, Turns 190 Today
Tortoise
“Extinct” Giant Galapagos Tortoise Discovered Chilling Alone On Remote Volcanic Island
Chelonoidis phantasticus, the sole known member of the enormous Galapagos tortoise species, was discovered 113 years apart. A lone male was discovered wandering about Fernandina Island in 1906, but that was the last scientists saw of the species until 2019 when researchers discovered a second lone ranger: a 50-year-old female dubbed Fernanda, who appeared to be queen of her own … [Read more...] about “Extinct” Giant Galapagos Tortoise Discovered Chilling Alone On Remote Volcanic Island
A Gigantic Tortoise Escape Causes a Two-Hour Train Delay in The United Kingdom
A gigantic tortoise caused a two-hour train delay that left passengers traveling from Norwich to Stanstead Airport perplexed and irate. Clyde, a gigantic tortoise, had vanished on Sunday from the Swallow Aquatics Center in East Harling. He appeared to have been hurt after being struck by a train when he was discovered on the railroad tracks. The train was stopped owing … [Read more...] about A Gigantic Tortoise Escape Causes a Two-Hour Train Delay in The United Kingdom
A RARE Galápagos Giant Tortoise Baby With Albinism is Born at a Swiss Zoo
A remarkable species is the Galápagos giant tortoise (Chelonoidis niger). The enormous reptiles, which are native to the extraordinary environment of the Galápagos Islands, have lifespans of well over a century. These surviving artifacts can weigh more than 500 pounds and are challenging to reproduce. According to optimistic estimates, there are 10,000 to 15,000 wild tortoises … [Read more...] about A RARE Galápagos Giant Tortoise Baby With Albinism is Born at a Swiss Zoo
Diego: The Casanova of Tortoises Who Saved His Species by Fathering Over 900 Offspring
In the world of wildlife conservation, few stories are as remarkable – or as amorous – as that of Diego, the Hood Island giant tortoise from the Galápagos. Dubbed the “sex-crazed tortoise” by admirers, Diego has fathered an astonishing 900 offspring, single-handedly (or should we say, single-shelledly?) rescuing his species from the brink of extinction. Born in the 1910s … [Read more...] about Diego: The Casanova of Tortoises Who Saved His Species by Fathering Over 900 Offspring