Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa
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). Today, Jonathan, a -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 years old. Esmeralda is an Aldabra giant tortoise that lives in the Galapagos Islands.
Galápagos green turtle
Behaviors of hatchlings differ from that of adults. After a hatchling emerges from the sand, it immediately goes out to sea. Hatchlings use the light of the night sky to find their way into the ocean. However, in many areas with coastal development, the hatchlings become confused from false light and sometimes move in the wrong direction to their deaths; this is not as much of a problem for Galápagos green turtles due to lack of development in the islands. Importantly, the hatchlings emerge at night to be protected from predators. They quickly move out to sea and swim for up to 24 hours to be far removed from shore and the predators in that area. They spend many years in the open ocean before entering the coastal habitat for the maturation period as juveniles. This period of maturation lasts from 10 to 20 years; black sea turtles usually spend time along the coasts of the Baja California peninsula and the connecting bays, lagoons, and channels that provide excellent forage and protection.