Overland turtles – a species of pets, quite popular with the Russian owners of animals, which still nevertheless is considered quite exotic. Only several species of turtles are widespread in our country therefore only the few fans of animals know that around the world there are about 40 versions with various life expectancy.
What species of turtles live on Earth
Similar division all overland skulls existing on our planet happens, being generally agreed with geographical origin: - the American turtles (coal, Argentina, forest and elephant) who have armor length from 25 and up to 122 centimeters and inhabit the territory of South America and Galapagos Islands; - Asian (brown and pressed) with a length of armor of 30-60 centimeters. They live in tropical forests of the countries Southern and Southeast Asia; - overland turtles (star-shaped, leopard, shporonosny, Burmese) who have armor-clad distance in 25-70 centimeters and live in steppe zones of Africa and the Southern Asia; - Indian (zheltogolovy Indian, Indian and Celebes) with a length of armor up to 30 centimeters and the habitat – the South and the Southeast of Asia;
- Madagascar turtles (radiant and Madagascar klyuvogrudy) with armor-clad of 40-50 centimeters. Are endemics of Madagascar; - huge with a length of armor up to 120 centimeters;
- gophers (desert western gophers, Texas gophers, Mexican gophers, gophers-polifemy). The maximum length of their armor – 40 centimeters, and the habitat – the USA and Mexico; - ploskotely turtles; - elastic with an armor length at adult individuals 15-18 centimeters and distribution in Kenya and Tanzania; - spidery (spidery and ploskokhvosty) – endemics of Madagascar. Have the maximum length of an armor 15 centimeters; - the South African star-shaped turtles (geometrical, glazchaty and shishkovaty) inhabiting South Africa; - European overland (bordered, Mediterranean, Balkan and Egyptian) with the maximum length of armor of 35 centimeters; - turtles-kiniksy (gear kiniksa, smooth); - Central Asian turtles.
The last kind of turtles has very interesting characteristic. The Central Asian turtles are able to hiss as a snake-gyurza.
Life expectancy overland skulls
Except the well-known sluggishness, overland turtles distinguish also very long life expectancy. So representatives of some types can live for 50, 100, 120 and more years, depending on belonging to one of them and also from conditions and quality of life. But among all versions the huge turtles who are endemics of the island of Aldabra are considered as leaders.
Except that they very rare, certain representatives of this look lived up to 150 years.
The most known in fauna is Advayt's turtle who died of an old age in the night of March 23, 2006 at the age of 150-250 years. The important testimony of life expectancy of this animal is the certificate of Dzhogesh Barman, the Minister of Agriculture of the State of West Bengal received from authoritative sources in India. The official claimed and claims that the turtle was still a favourite of lord Clive, the hero of Seven years' war who was taking part in the East Indian trading company. The Englishman died in 1774, and the animal lived at him the last several years to the death of the lord.