Seychelles Giant Tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa),

            The Seychelles giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa), also known as the Seychelles domed giant tortoise, is a tortoise subspecies in the genus Aldabrachelys.

The three Aldabra-Seychelles giant tortoise subspecies can be distinguished based on carapace shape, however, many captive animals may have distorted carapaces and so may be difficult to identify.

The Seychelles giant tortoise (A. g. hololissa) is broad, flattened on the back and with raised scutes; it is usually a brownish-grey color. In comparison, the true Aldabra giant tortoise (A. g. gigantea) is a roundly-domed, black-colored subspecies.

Giant tortoises are among the longest-lived animals on the planet. Some individual Aldabra giant tortoises are thought to be over 200 years of age, but this is difficult to verify because they tend to outlive their human observers.

 Adwaita was reputedly one of four brought by British seamen from the Seychelles Islands as gifts to Robert Clive of the British East India Company in the 18th century, and came to Calcutta Zoo in 1875. At his death in March 2006 at the Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) Zoo in India, Adwaita is reputed to have reached the longest ever measured life span of 255 years (birth year 1750).

As of 2024, Jonathan, a 192-year-old, Saint Helena-dwelling Seychelles giant tortoise, is thought to be the oldest living terrestrial animal on Earth since the 2006 death of Harriet; a 176 year old Galapagos giant tortoise who lived at Australia Zoo. Coming in second to Jonathan is Esmeralda, at 180 years old. Esmeralda is an Aldabra giant tortoise living in the Galapagos Islands. There is a report that a tortoise was kept in the garrison by French explorer Chevalier Marc-Joseph Marion du Fresne. The creature lived in the fort for 118 years. It died in 1918 when it became blind and accidentally fell to its death from atop a gun turret.

This image was taken on the Island of Mahe one of the Seychelle Islands.

Taken in: Seychelles / Takamaka / Takamaka (show map)

Taken on: March 24, 2024

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