Timothy (tortoise) facts for kids
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Timothy in 1993: The tag attached to her says, "My name is Timothy. I am very old – please do not pick me up".
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| Species | Spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca) |
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| Sex | Female |
| Hatched | c. 1844 Ottoman Empire |
| Died | 3 April 2004 (aged 160) Powderham Castle |
Timothy (born around 1844 – died April 3, 2004) was a 5 kg (11 lb) spur-thighed tortoise from the Mediterranean region. She was thought to be about 160 years old when she passed away. This made her the oldest known animal living in the United Kingdom. Even though her name was Timothy, she was actually a female tortoise. People in the 1800s didn't know how to properly tell the difference between male and female tortoises. Timothy was named after another tortoise owned by a famous writer named Gilbert White.
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Timothy was likely born on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. In 1854, when she was about 10 years old, she was found on a Portuguese privateer ship. A privateer was a ship owned by a private person but allowed by the government to attack enemy ships. Captain John Guy Courtenay-Everard of the Royal Navy found her.
Timothy then became a mascot for several navy ships until 1892. A mascot is like a good luck charm or a symbol for a team or group. She was the mascot for HMS Queen during the first attack on Sevastopol in the Crimean War. She was the very last living survivor of that war! After that, she moved to HMS Princess Charlotte and then to HMS Nankin.
Life on Land at Powderham Castle
After her time in the navy, Timothy retired from sea life. She went to live on dry land at Powderham Castle, the home of the Earl of Devon. From 1935 onwards, she lived in the castle's beautiful rose garden. Camilla Gabrielle Courtenay, who was the daughter of the 16th Earl of Devon, owned her.
On Timothy's underside, there was a special message carved. It said, "Where have I fallen? What have I done?" This was the English translation of the Courtenay family's motto, ubi lapsus, quid feci.
Discovering Timothy's Gender
In 1926, Timothy's owners thought "he" should have babies. But when they tried to help "him" mate, they made an interesting discovery. They found out that Timothy was actually a female tortoise! Even after this discovery, Timothy never had any babies.
Timothy's Final Resting Place
Timothy passed away on April 3, 2004, at the age of 160. She is buried at Powderham Castle, where she spent many years of her long life.
