250-Year-Old Tortoise Dies

Cut down in the prime of his life, Addwaita, a 250-year old tortoise died in the Calcutta zoo on Wednesday.

Addwaita, which means "the one and only" in the local Bengali language, was one of four Aldabra tortoises brought to India by British sailors in the 18th century.

Zoo officials say he was a gift for Lord Robert Clive of the East India Company, who was instrumental in establishing British colonial rule in India, before he returned to England in 1767.

This reminds me of the famous Ronald Reagan quote, "The new Democratic candidate claims he is the new Thomas Jefferson. My friend... I knew Thomas Jefferson! And you are no Thomas Jefferson!"

This tortoise really could have known Thomas Jefferson.