| Species | Aldabra giant tortoise |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male |
| Hatched | c. 1750 Aldabra Atoll |
| Died | 22 March 2006 (aged 255–256) Alipore Zoological Gardens, Kolkata, India |
| Known for | Believed to be the oldest terrestrial animal in the world, if verified. |
| Weight | 250 kg (551 lb) |
Adwaita (from अद्वैत, meaning "one and only" in Sanskrit) (c. 1750 – 22 March 2006), also spelled Addwaita, was a male Aldabra giant tortoise that lived in the Alipore Zoological Gardens of Kolkata, India. At the time of his death in 2006, Adwaita was believed to be amongst the longest-living animals in the world.
He may have been from Aldabra, an atoll in the Seychelles. This anecdotal report has not been confirmed.[1] The animal was one of four tortoises that lived at Robert Clive's estate at Barrackpore, in the northern suburbs of Calcutta.[2] Clive was said to have received the tortoises following his victory at the Battle of Plassey in 1757, in which the British East India Company defeated the Nawab of Bengal and his French allies, thereby securing India for Britain in the long run.[3] Adwaita was transferred to the Alipore Zoo in Calcutta in 1875 or 1876 by Carl Louis Schwendler, the founder of the zoo.[4] Adwaita lived in his enclosure in the zoo until his death on 22 March 2006 at an estimated age of 255.