This Turtle in Ulster is Believed to be Almost 100 Years Old

Cowabunga, dude! I don't know if she was a ninja but she was a teenager over 60 years ago.

If she was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle then I don't even want to know how old Splinter is these days.

You probably wouldn't think to get a turtle a birthday present but what about a milestone birthday like 80 or even 100 years of age? One Hudson Valley tortoise is getting up there. Every once in a while you see a story on the news about a massive turtle that's extremely old but it always seems to be in warmer climates and even other countries with a lower population where they are left alone. You certainly wouldn't think we would have any in our own backyard.

There are turtles in the Hudson Valley who are older than my father.

Do turtles have ridiculously long life spans for animals? The short answer is, yes but it's a little more complex.

Turtles can live a long time but it's much more rare in the wild. The average lifespan for a snapping turtle in the wild is roughly 11 - 12 years. However, they can reach the age of 45. According to Britannica, some species of turtles can reach the age of 75 or even 100. If they can make it mast 11 there are good odds that they could live 2 or even 3 decades or more.

The long lifespan makes since considering their eggs can take roughly 3 months to hatch.

This old gal was found in Ulster County and photographed by a Hudson Valley resident. The photographer wants to keep the specific location anonymous to protect the turtle. Since posting the photo online she claims that two herpetologist have estimated the age at around 75 years of age but could very well be closer to 90.