Jonathan, who lives on St. Helena, is recognized by the Guinness World Records as the oldest living land animal. Despite his advanced age and blindness, he continues to seek companionship.
Born in 1832, Jonathan is now 190 years old, as announced by the Guinness World Records on January 12. He is a member of the Seychelles giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa) subspecies and has held the record for the oldest living terrestrial animal. He has now officially become the oldest tortoise ever recorded, surpassing the previous record holder, Tu’i Malila, an Astrochelys radiata tortoise who died in 1965 at the age of at least 188.
Jonathan, living on St. Helena, holds the record as the oldest tortoise ever recorded. (Photo: Gianluigi Guercia/AFP)
Jonathan resides on St. Helena, an island in the South Atlantic Ocean. “The animal is a local icon, symbolizing resilience in the face of change,” said Joe Hollins, Jonathan’s veterinarian, to the Guinness World Records organization.
The British Museum in London noted that Jonathan arrived on St. Helena in 1882, when he was about 50 years old. A photograph of Jonathan taken between 1882 and 1886 shows that he had already reached full maturity, indicating that he was at least 50 years old at the time of the photo. Thus, his actual age could be greater than 190.
Despite his old age, Jonathan is blind and cannot smell, yet he still forages in the grounds of the governor’s residence on St. Helena. He lives with other giant tortoises named David, Emma, and Fred. He is fed by hand once a week to ensure he receives enough calories. Jonathan’s favorite foods include cabbage, cucumbers, and carrots.
In addition to eating, Jonathan’s other great interests are sleeping and mating. “Despite his age, Jonathan is still full of vitality and is often seen mating with Emma, and sometimes with Fred,” Hollins noted.
Scientists do not yet fully understand the mechanisms that allow tortoises like Jonathan to live so long. Giant tortoises can quickly eliminate damaged cells through a process called apoptosis, which may help protect them from damage that typically occurs in cells as the body ages.
While Jonathan’s lifespan may be unmatched on land, there are animals in the water that live even longer. For example, the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) has a maximum estimated lifespan of 272 years, or the hydra, a group of small, jellyfish-like invertebrates, which continuously regenerate cells and seem to show no signs of aging.
