The oldest living land animal in the world celebrated what is believed to be his 191st birthday in December, breaking the record as “the oldest chelonian—a tortoise, turtle or terrapin—ever documented.”
Smithsonian Magazine detailed that the tortoise’s name is Jonathan the Seychelles giant tortoise and has been estimated to have been born around 1832, making him older than the state of Utah.
Jonathan has reportedly “lived through 40 U.S. presidents and 31 governors of St. Helena, the small island in the Atlantic where he lives.”
CNN reported a video on Jonathan’s 190th birthday celebrating at the residence of the governor of St. Helena.
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Jonathan the tortoise is setting records
Just to give context for how much life this tortoise has lived, Jonathan was alive during the “U.S. Civil War, most of the reign of Queen Victoria, the rise and fall of the Soviet Union and two world wars,” according to Euro News.
Jonathan’s longtime veterinarian, Joe Hollins told Guiness World Records that, “it is extraordinary to think that this gentle giant has outlived every other living creature on land, including of course the whole human race.”
“In spite of losing his sense of smell and being virtually blind from cataracts, his appetite remains keen,” Hollins said. “He is still being hand-fed once a week with a fortifying helping of fruit and vegetables by a small, dedicated team. This not only supplements his calories but provides those essential drivers of his metabolism: vitamins, minerals and trace elements.”
Jonathan the tortoise is the world’s oldest living animal and is celebrating his 191st birthday 🥰️
He lives on the remote island of St. Helena in the Atlantic Ocean and has been photographed on the island since 1882. pic.twitter.com/XCltA6XZbJ
— Guinness World Records (@GWR) November 30, 2023
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How much longer will Jonathan the tortoise live?
While the estimation of Jonathan’s age is 191 years old, it is reported that the tortoise could be even older than that.
“Jonathan is in good health and all the indications at present make us hopeful that he will reach his third century – if indeed he hasn’t done so already,” Hollins said.
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