Facts about Adwaita Tortoise

1. 07

   Estimated to have hatched around 1750, Adwaita likely witnessed the entire British colonial period in India during her 130 years at Alipore Zoo.

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2. 06

   Adwaita's keepers at Alipore Zoo documented her daily consumption of leafy vegetables and fruits throughout her 130-year residence, providing rare dietary records of a giant tortoise in captivity.

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3. 05

   Adwaita's skeletal remains were preserved and studied by the Zoological Survey of India following her death, revealing growth patterns consistent with Seychellois giant tortoise subspecies.

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4. 04

   Adwaita's massive carapace eventually exceeded 150 centimeters in length, making her one of the largest tortoises ever scientifically measured in captivity.

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5. 03

   Adwaita's shell bore the initials 'E.A.' carved into it, marking her as property of an East India Company official before reaching the Alipore Zoo.

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6. 02

   In 1875, British soldiers brought Adwaita the tortoise to India from the Seychelles Islands as a gift for the Alipore Zoo's founding.

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7. 01

   Over 255 years old, Adwaita the tortoise lived in Kolkata's Alipore Zoo until her death in 2006, making her one of the longest-lived animals ever documented.

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