190-year-old Jonathan is the oldest tortoise ever

[Judi Lynn]

By Patrick Pester published about 12 hours ago

Jonathan was already the oldest living land animal.



Jonathan the oldest tortoise ever on Saint Helena, part of a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic Ocean. (Image credit: Gianluigi Guercia/AFP via Getty Images)

A 190-year-old tortoise named Jonathan has become the oldest tortoise ever, adding to his list of age-defying accolades.

Jonathan is estimated to have been born in 1832, which means he turned, or turns, 190 years old in 2022, Guinness World Records announced on Jan. 12. To put that into context, Jonathan was born before Queen Victoria ascended the British throne in 1837.

The elderly Seychelles giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa) was already the Guinness World Record holder for the oldest living land animal, but now he is officially the oldest turtle or tortoise ever recorded. He beat previous record-holder Tu'i Malila, a radiated tortoise (Astrochelys radiata) that lived to be at least 188 years old before dying in 1965.

Jonathan lives on St. Helena, an island in the South Atlantic Ocean. "He is a local icon, symbolic of persistence in the face of change," Joe Hollins, Jonathan's veterinarian, told Guinness World Records.

More:
https://www.livescience.com/jonathan-oldest-tortoise-ever



Jonathan, a whipper-snapper at 182.

[Hoyt]

1. I'm now a fan.

[eppur_se_muova]

2. ... that we know of.

Who knows how long they lived before sailors started wiping them out for food.

[RockRaven]

3. The gulf between "ever" and "that we know of" is large... but very interesting nonetheless

Thanks for this one.

[murielm99]

4. Jonathan is wonderful!

[littlemissmartypants]

5. Thanks, Judi Lynn. ❤

My first pet was a turtle. And let's not forget that we all live on Turtle Island.

[lookyhereyou]

7. many turtles here on turtle island

many types too and they need their habitat

and not be run over on their way to lay eggs

and to disperse

[Judi Lynn]

8. They are fascinating in all sizes, aren't they? Thank you, LMSP. 🐢 🐢 🐢

[KS Toronado]

6. Wow, what a gentle giant.

Hand fed and can even pet him.