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An Aldabra giant tortoise, an example of a giant tortoise.. Giant tortoises are any of several species of various large land tortoises, which include a number of extinct species, [1] as well as two extant species with multiple subspecies formerly common on the islands of the western Indian Ocean and on the Galápagos Islands.
Megalochelys ("great turtle") is an extinct genus of tortoises that lived from the Miocene to Pleistocene.They are noted for their giant size, the largest known for any tortoise, with a maximum carapace length of over 2 m (6.5 ft) in M. atlas.
The islands were named "Insulae de los Galopegos" (Islands of the Tortoises) in reference to the giant tortoises found there. [9] [10] [nb 1] Initially, the giant tortoises of the Indian Ocean and those from the Galápagos were thought to be the same subspecies. Naturalists thought that sailors had transported the tortoises there. [11]
As of 2022, Jonathan, a Seychelles giant tortoise, is thought to be the oldest living giant tortoise at the age of 192 years. [25] Esmeralda, an Aldabra giant tortoise, is second at the age of 180 years, since the death of Harriet, a Galapagos giant tortoise, at 175. An Aldabra giant tortoise living on Changuu off Zanzibar is reportedly 198 ...
Chelonoidis niger chathamensis, commonly known as the Chatham Island giant tortoise or the San Cristóbal giant tortoise, is a subspecies of Galápagos tortoise endemic to San Cristóbal Island in the Galápagos.
The lifespan of a turtle is largely dependent on the species. As a general rule, tortoises live the longest, but turtles are also fairly long-lived compared to most domestic pets, assuming all ...
Jonathan (hatched c. 1832) [2] [3] is a Seychelles giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa), a subspecies of the Aldabra giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea).His approximate age is estimated to be 192 as of 2024, making him the oldest known living land animal.
Several lineages of tortoises have independently evolved very large body sizes in excess of 100 kg, including the Galapagos giant tortoise and the Aldabra giant tortoise. They are usually diurnal animals with tendencies to be crepuscular depending on the ambient temperatures.