Can tortoise live up to 500 years?
Their lifespan can be 150 years or more. As with whales, sharks, and other species, it is often difficult to determine a turtle’s exact age. After all, researchers are not usually present when the animals are born. Some have estimated, however, that large turtles may be able to live 400 to 500 years!
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What is the longest living pet tortoise?

1832) is a Seychelles giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa), a subspecies of the Aldabra giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea); he is the oldest known living land animal.
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Jonathan (tortoise)
Jonathan in April 2021 | |
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Species | Seychelles giant tortoise |
Residence | Saint Helena |
Mate(s) | Frederik[a] (1991–present) |
Can a tortoise live 200 years?
According to Pet Keen, the average life expectancy of tortoises is anywhere from 80 to 150 years. Some species are known to live even longer, up to 250 years. In January of 2022, Guinness World Records identified the oldest land-living animal, Jonathan, a 190-year-old tortoise, making him the oldest tortoise ever.
Can tortoise live up to 400 years?
Many animals can live much longer than their average life expectancies. Cockatoos and tortoises have been known to live for 100 years or more, while Greenland sharks can live upwards of 400 years. There’s even an “immortal” species of jellyfish.

Can tortoise live for 1000 years?
Longest-Lived Reptile: The Giant Tortoise (300 Years)
And these turtles have lifespans that perfectly match their 500- to 1,000-pound weights: giant tortoises in captivity have been known to live longer than 200 years, and there’s every reason to believe that testudines in the wild regularly hit the 300-year mark.
What is the oldest living creature?
Ocean Quahogs (Clams)
At 507 years of age, Ming the clam broke the Guinness World Record as the oldest animal in the world.
How long do Egyptian tortoises live?
70-100 years
Tortoises are known for their longevity, with proper care Egyptian tortoises may live 70-100 years.
Which tortoise makes the best pet?
5 of the Best Pet Tortoises
- Mediterranean Spur-thighed tortoises. The Mediterranean spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca) is a species that I can’t recommend highly enough.
- Leopard tortoise.
- Red-footed tortoise.
- Indian Star tortoise.
- African Spur-thighed tortoise.
Can turtles live 300 years?
Why do Galapagos tortoises live so long?
Genetic analysis of DNA from Lonesome George and samples from other giant tortoises of the Galapagos — which can live more than 100 years in captivity — found they possessed a number of gene variants linked to DNA repair, immune response, and cancer suppression not possessed by shorter-lived vertebrates.
What is the longest living reptile on earth?
The tuatara, a lizard-like reptile native to New Zealand, can live well over 100 years. Henry, a tuatara at the Southland Museum in New Zealand, mated for the first time at the estimated age of 111 years in 2009 with an 80-year-old female and fathered 11 baby tuatara.
What is the longest living thing on earth?
Great Basin bristlecone pine
The oldest single living thing on the planet is a gnarled tree clinging to rocky soil in the White Mountains of California. This Great Basin bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva) has withstood harsh winds, freezing temperatures and sparse rainfall for more than 5,000 years.
Which animal never sleep in its whole life?
Dolphins are one of the animals that never sleep. They can go for years without slumbering, and they’re still able to function normally.
2. Baby Dolphins.
Scientific Name | Cetacea |
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Type of Animal | Mammal |
Range | Worldwide |
Which animal can live 1000 years?
Turritopsis dohrnii
The jellyfish Turritopsis dohrnii has no brain and heart and is considered the only immortal creature on Earth; it lives in tropical waters.
How long do Greek tortoises live?
50 years
They’re generally easygoing pets, as long as owners meet their specific care needs. However, because these pet tortoises have a lifespan in captivity often of 50 years or longer, prospective owners should think long and hard about whether they want to commit to caring for an animal that could easily outlive them.
How old do Russian tortoises get?
Russian tortoises live to be over 40-50 years old on average. They can live as long as 100 years!
Do tortoises love their owners?
Since tortoises are reptiles, they are not capable of feeling “love” as we humans understand it. However, tortoises do show signs of affection and appreciation for their owners. They follow their pet parents around, tolerate handling, eat directly from human hands, and come to us when they see us.
Which tortoise is easiest to keep?
The most commonly available and the easiest to care for is the Spur Thighed (Greek) Tortoise.
Can tortoise survive without brain?
TIL: If you cut out the brain of a tortoise, it can survive another 6 months.
What is the oldest living animal on earth?
Jonathan, a Seychelles giant tortoise, is the oldest land animal alive in the world. He is believed to have been born in 1832, making him 189 years old in 2021. Originally from the Seychelles, he is a long-time resident of the remote South Atlantic island of St Helena.
What is the secret of tortoise long life?
They possess genetic variants linked to DNA repair, immune response and cancer suppression. Galapagos giant tortoises possess genetic variants linked to DNA repair, immune response and cancer suppression — providing clues into their longevity — according to a study published on December 3.
Why do tortoises bite ankles?
Tortoises bite due to hormonal changes, mating rituals, food confusion, stress, self-defense, and territorial battles. Tortoises that bite each other do so due to disputes over space, territory, and mating rights. The bite force of a tortoise can hurt or break the skin, especially if you own a larger breed of tortoise.
What is the lifespan of tortoise?
In general, most tortoise species can live 80–150 years.
Why can tortoises live so long?
Land Tortoises
There are reports of some of these animals living about 200 years. Part of the reason why these animals can live so long is because they have such a slow metabolism. Ironically, this is also part of the reason why their populations have declined so much.
Is anyone born in 1800s still alive?
Emma Martina Luigia Morano OMRI (29 November 1899 – 15 April 2017) was an Italian supercentenarian. She was the world’s oldest living person from 13 May 2016 until her death on 15 April 2017, aged 117 years and 137 days. She was also the last living person verified to have been born in the 1800s.