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The average life span of adult box turtles is 50 years, while a significant portion lives over 100 years. The age of a growing box turtle in the wild cannot be accurately estimated by counting the growth rings on the scutes ; Their growth is directly affected by the amount of food, types of food, water, illness, and more.
Life expectancy in the wild is thought to be over 100 years, [110] [111] making it one of the longest-lived species in the animal kingdom. Harriet , a specimen kept in Australia Zoo , was the oldest known Galápagos tortoise, having reached an estimated age of more than 170 years before her death in 2006. [ 112 ]
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.
Some tortoises show negligible senescence. Negligible senescence is a term coined by biogerontologist Caleb Finch to denote organisms that do not exhibit evidence of biological aging (), such as measurable reductions in their reproductive capability, measurable functional decline, or rising death rates with age. [1]
General American usage agrees; turtle is often a general term; tortoise is used only in reference to terrestrial turtles or, more narrowly, only those members of Testudinidae, the family of modern land tortoises; and terrapin may refer to turtles that are small and live in fresh and brackish water, in particular the diamondback terrapin ...
They reach sexual maturity after 10 to 15 years. In captivity their life span is around 54 years. In the wild their lifespan is unknown but is believed to exceed 75 years. [10] [6] The tortoise has no known predators when they are hatchlings or adults. [6] In fact it is believed that they are nearly immune to predators when their weight exceeds ...
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Box turtles require an enclosed outdoor location, consistent sun exposure and a varied diet. Without this, a turtle's growth can be stunted and its immune system weakened. Finding box turtles in the wild and taking them as pets, even for a short period, can have detrimental effects. Box turtles want to stay within the area where they were hatched.