Jonathan, a tortoise living on St. Helena Island, has been 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 subspecies (Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa). Jonathan previously held the Guinness World Record for the oldest living land animal and has now officially become the oldest tortoise ever recorded, surpassing the previous record holder, Tu’i Malila, an Astrochelys radiata tortoise that died in 1965 at the age of at least 188.
Jonathan, living on St. Helena Island, 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 symbol, representing resilience in the face of change,” shared Joe Hollins, Jonathan’s veterinarian, with the Guinness World Records organization.
The British Museum in London reported 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 was fully grown at that time, indicating that he was at least 50 years old when the photo was taken. Therefore, his actual age could be greater than 190.
Due to his advanced age, Jonathan is blind and unable to smell, yet he still forages in the grounds of the governor’s residence on St. Helena. He lives with other giant tortoises, including David, Emma, and Fred. He is hand-fed once a week to ensure he receives enough calories. Jonathan’s favorite foods include cabbage, cucumber, and carrots.
In addition to eating, Jonathan’s other major interests are sleeping and mating. “Despite his age, Jonathan remains vigorous and is often seen mating with Emma, and occasionally with Fred,” Hollins noted.
Scientists still do not fully understand the mechanisms that allow tortoises like Jonathan to live so long. Giant tortoises have the ability to quickly eliminate damaged cells through a process called apoptosis. This may help protect them from damage in cells that typically deteriorate as the body ages.
While Jonathan’s lifespan may be unmatched on land, there are still animals that live longer underwater. For example, the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) has an estimated maximum lifespan of 272 years, and the hydra, a group of small, jellyfish-like invertebrates, continuously regenerate cells and appear to show no signs of aging.
