He was born when King William IV sat on the English throne, and he may very well live to see William V. His name is Jonathan, he is 194 years old (approximately), and he is a Seychelles giant tortoise. As a young 50-year-old in 1882, Jonathan set sail from his island home in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa, for a brand new island home in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Africa: Saint Helena (just missing Napolean during his second exile by some 60-odd years). The journey was 8,200 nautical miles, thanks to circumnavigating the Cape of Good Hope, so it’s not surprising that once he landed, Jonathan made Saint Helena his permanent home. Right from the start Jonathan was put up at the official Governor’s residence, and ever since then politicians have come and gone — 31 terms’ worth of them, in this case — while Jonathan’s presence remains a constant. And so it is only fitting that Guinness World Records has honored Jonathan, the oldest-known land animal, with their ICON award. Bravo, sir!
He is slow and steady — and winning the race against time.
A 194-year-old tortoise was just honored with Guinness World Records’ prestigious ICON award.
Born around 1832, Jonathan, the world’s oldest living land animal, was given the title in the record book’s latest edition, alongside greats like John Cena and Shohei Ohtani.
The Seychelles giant tortoise, who lives in Saint Helena, a remote island in the South Atlantic Ocean, is also the oldest turtle ever recorded.
The local legend has lived at the Plantation House, the official residence of the Governor of Saint Helena, since arriving there in 1882 at the age of 50.
The remarkable reptile was sent there from his native Seychelles, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, as a gift for the incoming governor, and has since been there for 31 governors’ terms.
“Jonathan’s recognition as a Guiness World Records ICON is warmly welcomed by the people of St. Helena,” Nigel Phillips CBE, the current Governor of Saint Helena, said in a statement.
“For generations, he has been regarded as a local icon, deeply embedded in the island’s identity and collective memory. This global acknowledgement reflects what the community has long known, that Jonathan is not only remarkable in age, but truly special to St. Helena and its people.”
Phillips also held a press conference on June 17 in recognition of Jonathan’s impressive achievement.
In 2022, Phillips officially announced Jonathan’s birthday as Dec. 4, 1832.
Although he’s lost his senses of sight and smell, the elderly creature is healthy — so much so that his DNA is being analayzed for its secrets to longevity.
Guinness notes on their commendation page that Jonathan’s birth predates London’s Tower Bridge, Paris’s Eiffel Tower, and the Statue of Liberty in New York. Really, the kid owes it to history to write his memoirs. The Immortal Life of Jonathan the Tortoise. At least he’s gifting science, permitting researchers to explore the miracle of his timeless DNA… in exchange for some hand-fed carrots and all the grass he can munch. I’ve never seriously contemplated going vegan, but gosh darned if Jonathan doesn’t make a strong-shelled case for the diet. I mean, look at him — he doesn’t look a day over 120!! Earlier this year false reporting flew across the interwebs that Jonathan had passed, but thankfully it was all quickly debunked. And part of that debunking included a reminder to the world from Saint Helena that if/when that fateful day comes, the official protocol for Operation Go Slow (I’m not even joking, that’s his funereal code name) will go into effect, starting with a day of mourning and formal obituary. But that is not a worry for today, as I have every hope/expectation that Jonathan will live to see 200.
Congratulations on your most distinguished, well-earned honor, Jonathan!
Photos credit: Kevstan/Avalon and Getty, St Helena Tourism/Cover Images
I’m amazed that Jonathan isn’t all “WTF, humans? Let me go live my last years in the ocean in peace…”
Also Operation Go Slow….awww (wipes tears)
To put it in terms Americans would understand, he was born when Andrew Jackson was the President.
As if Americans do not know World history?
Be well, Jonathan.
Not meaning to be rude or condescending at all, but the average American does have a reputation world wide for being navel gazers. And yes of course many know world history but there are times when it is astoundingly clear that a good sized portion of your citizens do not compared to other countries. Especially where Europe and Canadians are concerned.
There are lots of stereotypes about Europeans, but we don’t use those stereotypes to make blanket statements about entire groups of people. It’s much easier to travel to numerous other countries within Europe because so many of those countries are part of the EU, making it easier for Europeans to be exposed to other cultures, languages, and histories. Compare that to someone who lives in a place like Kansas – traveling to California is a treat.
Being able to travel and experience other cultures is also a privilege that many people – especially many Americans – cannot afford. So I’m not sure it’s so much that Americans are naval gazers as it is that many Americans do not have the luxury or opportunity to travel the way that many Europeans do.