According to Guinness World Records, the oldest land animal in the world has turned 190 years old. Although his actual birthday is uncertain, Jonathan the Seychelles tortoise was born in the early 1800s. Experts estimated the tortoise’s age to be roughly 190 years old based on the physical condition of the reptile and earlier photographs of Jonathan. Since 1882, he has resided on the isolated Island of St. Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean.
Jonathan could actually be 200 because the information regarding his arrival on the island is not exact
“Jonathan could actually be 200 because the information regarding his arrival on the island is not exact and because there’s no real record of his birth,” Matt Joshua, head of tourism on St. Helena, told CNN earlier this year.
Jonathan was fully grown and at least 50 years old, according to shell measurements taken upon his arrival on the island. Jonathan has experienced two World Wars, seen over 35 different island governors come and go, and witnessed the introduction of radios, telephones, TVs, the internet, cars, and an airport. As a retired veterinarian assisting Jonathan’s care, Joe Hollins told SWNS, “My goodness, the changes in the world when you think, if he was hatched in 1832 — the Georgian era.
“And he’s just been here, enjoying himself,” Hollins added of the aged tortoise. “I think he’s fabulous actually, he’s a great animal. And as a vet — what greater privilege is there than to be looking after the oldest known living land animal in the world?”
He enjoyed a three-day birthday celebration
As the oldest and most cherished member of his island’s population, Jonathan received a special birthday party for what the tortoise’s keepers determined to be his 190th birthday.
Jonathan enjoyed a three-day birthday celebration that started on December 2 and included all of his favorite vegetables. The tortoise was also given Jonathan’s song, video, and healthy food birthday cake in addition to posters commemorating his life being displayed on the grounds of the reptile’s residence.