Much more than 120: It is the oldest animal in the world

The adult tortoise, which arrived in St. Helena in 1882 at the age of 50 as a gift from the Seychelles to the governor, recently celebrated 190 - and entered the record book as the oldest land animal

Noa Moskowitz

17/01/2022

Monday, 17 January 2022, 11:33 Updated: 11:48

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The Turtle Jonathan, April 2021 (Photo: Xben911, Wikipedia)

Meet the turtle Jonathan. Although it is not known what his exact date of birth is, scientists believe that this year Jonathan will celebrate his 190th birthday. So it is now recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest terrestrial animal in the world.

The lovable turtle lives in St. Helena, a remote island in the Atlantic Ocean. Jonathan lives in a garden located in the official residence of the Governor of St. Helena, along with three other giant turtles - David, Emma and Fred. Jonathan is so beloved in St. Helena, that his picture is stamped on the island's £ 5 coin.

Jonathan came to St. Helena in 1882 at the age of 50 as a gift from the Seychelles to then-Governor William Gray-Wilson.

It was born before the first picture in history was taken, before the invention of the light bulb, and before the construction of the Eiffel Tower was completed.

He witnessed in his lifetime 39 presidents in the White House and historical events such as World War I, World War II and the Great Depression.

He even met Queen Elizabeth II when she was 20. Elizabeth and her mother came to visit St. Helena and there they met Jonathan who was then "only" 115 years old.

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The 115-year-old blacksmith Jonathan, next to Queen Elizabeth (Photo: @ sthelenatourism / Twitter)

Jonathan enjoys crawling in the meadow, attending tea parties and cricket games, eating grapes, cabbage, cucumbers, carrots and apples.

Every week, veterinarian Joe Hollins visits him to check on his health: "He's an old, charming, very curious guy. He can no longer see and smells so good. But he hears well. He recognizes my voice."

In 2017, rumors surfaced that Jonathan is gay because he regularly had fun with a male turtle.

Hollins denies this: "Jonathan loves girls. And despite his age, Jonathan still has good sexual desire."

We wish Jonathan continued longevity.

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