From: "Mark" 

It'll be interesting to see what the carbon dating confirms.

"Adam" <""4thwormcastfromthemolehill\"{at}the
field.near the bridge"> wrote in message news:4423c033{at}w3....
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4837988.stm
>
> Not far off being older than the USA....
>
> "A tortoise that once belonged to British colonial general Clive of
> India in the 18th Century has died in a zoo in Calcutta.
>
> Adwaita, "the only one" in Bengali, was found dead by
keepers in Alipore
> Zoo on Wednesday. His shell cracked some months ago and a wound had
> developed.
>
> West Bengal officials said records showed Adwaita was at least 150 years
> old but other evidence pointed to 250.
>
> The shell of Adwaita, an Aldabra tortoise, will now be carbon-dated.
>
> Forestry minister in the West Bengal government, Jogesh Barman said:
> "Historical records show he was a pet of British general Robert Clive of
> the East India Company and had spent several years in his sprawling
> estate before he was brought to the zoo about 130 years ago." "
>
>
> Adam

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