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Jonathan (tortoise)
Jonathan (tortoise)
from Wikipedia

Jonathan
Jonathan in April 2021
SpeciesSeychelles giant tortoise
SexMale
Hatchedc. 1832 (age 193–194)
Seychelles, British Mauritius
ResidenceSaint Helena
MateFrederik[a] (1991–present)[1]
Weight100–150 kg (200–350 lb)[1]

Jonathan (hatched c. 1832)[2][3] is a Seychelles giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa), a subspecies of the Aldabra giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea). His age is estimated to be 193 as of 2026, making him the oldest known living land animal.[4][5] Jonathan now resides on the island of Saint Helena, a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic Ocean.

History

[edit]

Jonathan, hatched c. 1832, was brought to Saint Helena from the Seychelles (then under the British Crown colony of Mauritius) in the Indian Ocean in 1882, along with three other tortoises at about 50 years of age.[6] He was named in the 1930s by Governor of Saint Helena Sir Spencer Davis and has lived through 31 governors' terms. He continues to live on the grounds of Plantation House, the official residence of the governor; he is cared for by the government of Saint Helena.[6] His exact age is unknown, but in November 2022 Nigel Phillips, Governor of Saint Helena, granted him an official birthday of 4 December.[7]

Jonathan exploring the paddock in front of Plantation House (2022)

In December 2015, the St Helena veterinarian Joe Hollins said that Jonathan was "alive and well [...] He's blind from cataracts, has lost his sense of smell, and so cannot detect food ... but he has retained excellent hearing."[1] In January 2016, the BBC reported that Jonathan was given a new diet intended to keep him healthy and extend his life.[8] Due to his advanced age, Jonathan spends his days doing almost everything with his mate Frederik, another male tortoise he was introduced to in 1991, including eating, sleeping and having sex.[9]

To mark Jonathan's supposed 190th birthday in February 2022, island officials planned to make a series of commemorative stamps and visitors received a certificate featuring a photograph of his first known footprint.[6]

On 4 December 2022, local residents arranged three days of Jonathan's birthday celebration, presenting a cake made entirely from his favourite foods.[10]

In January 2024, Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, saw Jonathan during a visit to St Helena. Jonathan had previously met the Duke's mother Elizabeth II and grandfather George VI in 1947. Prince Philip visited in 1957.[11]

Age

[edit]
Jonathan (left) with another giant tortoise (1886) (aged 53–54)[12][2]

His age is estimated because he was "fully mature" when brought to Saint Helena in 1882. "Fully mature" means at least 50 years old, giving him a hatching date no later than 1832.[13] A photograph featuring Jonathan originally thought to date from 1902 actually dates from 1886,[2] showing Jonathan four years after his arrival on Saint Helena. Measurements taken from the photograph show that he was fully mature in 1886.[citation needed]

In 2022, Jonathan's estimated age exceeded that of the tortoise that Guinness World Records had recognised as the oldest recorded ever, Tu'i Malila, who died in Tonga in 1966 at the age of 189. Adwaita, an Aldabra giant tortoise that died in 2006 in the Alipore Zoological Gardens of Kolkata, India, is believed to have lived to the age of 255 years, but this has not been confirmed.[14]

In media

[edit]

In February 2014, as part of the Queen's Baton Relay ahead of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, the baton visited Saint Helena. Governor Mark Capes, while holding the baton, posed for a photo alongside Jonathan in the grounds of Plantation House.[15]

BBC Radio featured Jonathan in an episode of From Our Own Correspondent in March 2014 after ocean rower Sally Kettle visited Saint Helena.[3]

The Saint Helena five-pence coin has Jonathan on its reverse.[16]

See also

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Notes

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References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Jonathan is a Seychelles giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa), estimated to have been born around 1832, making him approximately 193 years old as of 2025 and recognized by Guinness World Records as the oldest known living land animal. He has resided on the remote South Atlantic island of Saint Helena since 1882, when he was gifted to the island's governor at about 50 years of age, already fully mature. Jonathan lives on the grounds of Plantation House, the official residence of the Governor of Saint Helena, alongside three companion tortoises: David, Emma, and Frederik. Despite being blind from cataracts and lacking a sense of smell, he remains in good health with acute hearing, weighs between 150 and 200 kilograms, and receives weekly hand-feeding and veterinary care from island veterinarian Joe Hollins. In 2022, Jonathan was officially certified by Guinness World Records as the oldest tortoise ever recorded, surpassing previous holders and symbolizing the remarkable longevity of his species, which typically lives up to 150 years in the wild. A celebrated icon of Saint Helena, he has been featured on the territory's 5-pence coin since 1985 and participates in an annual "birthday" event on December 4, though his exact birthdate is unknown. His presence underscores the island's unique biodiversity and historical ties to the British Empire, where he has outlived multiple governors and witnessed significant global events from his secluded home.

Early History

Origins and Transport

Jonathan, a of the subspecies Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa, originates from the granitic islands of the archipelago in the western . These tortoises inhabit dry lowland areas, including grasslands and scrub forests, where they graze on a diet of grasses, herbs, leaves, and occasionally fruits, adapting to the islands' with distinct wet and dry seasons. The subspecies was once widespread across the but faced near-extinction by the mid-19th century due to intensive hunting by European sailors and colonists, who slaughtered them for fresh meat during long voyages and exported live specimens as curiosities or provisions to distant British colonies. Jonathan is estimated to have hatched around 1832 in the , during a period when remaining populations were increasingly targeted for collection amid the expanding maritime trade networks of the . By the 1880s, as a mature juvenile approximately 50 years old and fully grown, he was captured or collected from his native habitat, likely from one of the outer islands where small numbers persisted. This era saw ongoing exports of giant tortoises from the to sustain colonial outposts, with animals valued for their and utility as living food stores on ships. In 1882, Jonathan was transported by across the and around the African to the remote British territory of , a voyage that underscored the grueling logistics of 19th-century colonial animal shipments. Acquired through local colonial channels in the —then administered under —he arrived as a diplomatic gift to Sir William Grey-Wilson, a British colonial administrator who later became (1890–1897), and was part of a small batch of similar presented to replenish the island's exotic . The journey, lasting several months, exposed him to the hazards of sea travel, including cramped conditions and variable rations, yet his robust physiology enabled survival to establish a new life on the isolated .

Arrival and Naming

Jonathan arrived at Saint Helena in 1882, having been transported from the as part of 19th-century British colonial exchanges between overseas territories. He was presented as a gift to Sir William Grey-Wilson, who would later serve as governor of the island from 1890 to 1897. The tortoise, already fully mature upon arrival, was noted in contemporary records for his impressive size, estimated at around 50 years old at the time. In his early years on the , Jonathan resided at , the governor's official residence, alongside several other giant tortoises that had been similarly introduced. He quickly stood out among them due to his larger stature and robust build, becoming a fixture in the estate's gardens. The first known photograph of Jonathan, taken in , captures him grazing on the grounds just four years after his arrival, clearly demonstrating his adult maturity and distinctive presence. Jonathan remained unnamed for much of his initial decades on , referred to simply as one of the estate's tortoises. It was not until that he received his official name from Sir Spencer Davis, who served from 1932 to 1936; the exact reason for choosing "Jonathan" is not documented in historical records. This naming marked his formal integration into the island's cultural identity, solidifying his status beyond that of an anonymous resident.

Life on Saint Helena

Residence at Plantation House

Jonathan has resided at , the official residence of the in the St Pauls District, approximately 3.25 miles northwest of Jamestown, since his arrival on the island in 1882. The estate spans about 0.49 km² and features a dedicated tortoise paddock adjacent to a vegetable garden, providing a natural grassy environment for and movement. Upon arrival in the 1880s, Jonathan and other giant tortoises were allowed to roam freely across the grounds, as evidenced by photographs from 1882–1886 showing him on the open grass fields near the main house. By the mid-20th century, particularly the , the setup evolved into a more protected, fenced enclosure to prevent escapes—such as those documented to nearby sites like Butcher’s Graves—and to ensure visitor safety, transforming the informal areas into a landscaped paddock maintained by government staff. This enclosure includes access to shade from surrounding trees and proximity to water sources, supporting the tortoises' needs in the subtropical climate. Within this habitat, Jonathan interacts closely with the estate's by grazing primarily on the lawn grass, supplemented historically by fruits and from the adjacent gardens, which helps naturally regulate vegetation growth. The government provides ongoing maintenance, including weekly veterinary check-ups and habitat improvements, ensuring the paddock remains a suitable long-term home amid the diverse introduced flora like and gumwood trees on the grounds.

Companions and Daily Routine

Jonathan shares his residence at with three other giant tortoises: Emma, a introduced in ; , a also introduced in ; and Frederik, another tortoise brought to the island in 1991 as a gift from the French Consul. Initially thought to be and named Frederica, Frederik's was confirmed as during a veterinary examination in 2017. As the dominant among the group, Jonathan frequently engages in mating behaviors with both Emma and Frederik, despite the latter being , though these attempts have not resulted in any offspring, primarily because Frederik is and owing to Jonathan's advanced age. Jonathan's daily care routine is managed by the staff at , including veterinarian Joe Hollins, who oversees his health and provides specialized attention. Feeding occurs regularly with a diet primarily consisting of fresh grass, supplemented by vegetables like and , and fruits such as bananas, which support his nutritional needs in the subtropical South Atlantic climate. Due to his blindness, Jonathan receives weekly hand-feeding sessions to ensure adequate intake, while exercise comes from free grazing on the expansive lawns, where he is most active in the mornings before resting in the afternoons. Seasonal adjustments to the routine account for Saint Helena's variable weather, with reduced activity and sheltering in leaf mould during colder, wetter months, followed by sunbathing periods in milder conditions to promote warmth and mobility. Caretakers conduct periodic weigh-ins, estimating Jonathan's weight at 150-200 kg, and monitor his growth, which has remained stable without significant changes since his arrival in the .

Age and Longevity

Age Estimation

The age of Jonathan, a ( gigantea hololissa), is estimated through a combination of photographic evidence, biological maturity indicators, and historical records, yielding a conservative hatching year of no later than 1832. Primary evidence comes from a taken between 1882 and 1886, shortly after his arrival on , which depicts Jonathan with a fully formed and plastron measuring approximately 48 inches in length—dimensions consistent with full physical maturity for his species. This maturity level indicates that Jonathan was already an adult upon arrival in 1882, as s reach skeletal and shell completeness early in life but achieve adult size and reproductive capability over decades. Further supporting the hatching estimate, Jonathan demonstrated sexual maturity by the late 1880s, a milestone typically reached by male at 50–55 years of age. Cross-referencing this with shipping records from 1882, which document his transport as a fully grown specimen from the , places his birth no later than 1832 to align with these biological timelines. Veterinary assessments reinforce this calculation; for instance, Joe Hollins, the chief veterinary officer for , has confirmed that Jonathan was at least 50 years old upon landing in 1882, establishing the 1832 estimate as a reliable baseline. Precise dating remains challenging due to the absence of birth records for wild-caught like Jonathan, who originated from the before being transported as part of 19th-century colonial exchanges. Without direct documentation of his early life, experts rely on conservative extrapolations from maturity evidence, acknowledging that Jonathan could potentially be older than the estimated 1832 hatching year. Hollins has emphasized this conservative approach, noting in interviews that the figure serves as a minimum age based on verifiable biological and historical data.

Verification and Records

Jonathan holds the Guinness World Record for the oldest living land animal, a title verified based on historical records indicating he was fully mature—thus at least 50 years old—when transported to Saint Helena in 1882. In 2022, upon reaching an estimated 190 years, he was certified as the oldest chelonian (turtle or tortoise) in recorded history, eclipsing the previous benchmark set by Tu'i Malila, a radiated tortoise (Astrochelys radiata) that died in 1965 at an age of at least 188 years after being presented to the Tongan royal family around 1777 by Captain James Cook. This certification relies on documented evidence, including a photograph from the mid-1880s depicting Jonathan among other tortoises at Plantation House, confirming his presence and maturity during that era. Jonathan's verified age surpasses claims for other historic tortoises, such as , an that died in 2006 at the Zoological Gardens in , , with an estimated lifespan of about 255 years; however, Adwaita's age has been widely disputed due to lack of confirmatory evidence like shell carbon-dating, and it is not recognized by . His longevity also outlasts prominent historical figures, including naturalist , who died in 1882 when Jonathan, born circa 1832, was already an adult tortoise of approximately 50 years. Ongoing verification of Jonathan's health and age projection occurs through regular veterinary oversight by Joe Hollins, Saint Helena's chief , who conducts annual assessments to monitor his condition. In 2023, Hollins reported that Jonathan exhibited no signs of decline, maintaining a strong appetite and activity level despite age-related impairments, supporting projections of his vitality extending into 2025 at an estimated 193 years. These assessments, combined with genetic studies published in early 2025 analyzing and telomere-related variants in his , further affirm his exceptional endurance as the benchmark for .

Health and Physical Condition

Sensory Impairments

As Jonathan has advanced into extreme , he has experienced significant sensory declines, most notably in vision and olfaction. By 2014, he had become virtually blind due to advanced cataracts that rendered both eyes non-functional. Surgical intervention to remove the cataracts was deemed too risky by veterinarians, primarily owing to his advanced age and the associated complications, rather than pursuing options viable for younger specimens of his species. Around the same period, Jonathan lost his entirely, which has impaired his ability to independently or detect food sources in his environment. This olfactory deficit is mitigated through a structured daily feeding routine provided by his caretakers, ensuring he maintains despite the limitation. His hearing, however, remains acute, allowing him to respond to auditory cues from his surroundings. Other physical indicators of his include a worn and weathered shell from over a century of exposure, alongside reduced mobility that limits his range of movement compared to younger . Despite these changes, Jonathan retains a robust and his exact weight is unknown but estimated to be between 150 and 200 kilograms. These adaptations in his routine accommodate his impairments while supporting his overall well-being.

Longevity Factors and Care

Jonathan, a Seychelles giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa), benefits from biological traits that promote exceptional longevity, including a slow metabolism that minimizes cellular wear and tear over decades. This species' large body size, often exceeding 150 kilograms in mature individuals like Jonathan, correlates with reduced metabolic rates and enhanced resilience to environmental stressors, contributing to lifespans that can exceed 150 years, with an average expectancy of 150 years. Additionally, genomic analysis reveals gene variants in Jonathan associated with DNA repair and telomere regulation, providing genetic resilience against age-related diseases common in shorter-lived species. His diet, consisting primarily of low-calorie vegetation such as grasses, leaves, and supplemented with nutrient-dense fruits like apples and bananas, supports this longevity by delivering essential vitamins and minerals while avoiding caloric excess that could accelerate aging. Environmental factors on further enhance Jonathan's lifespan through the island's stable, temperate subtropical climate, characterized by mild temperatures averaging 20–25°C year-round, which reduces physiological stress compared to more variable habitats. Residing in the protected grounds of since the 1880s, he is shielded from predators—a rarity for wild giant tortoises—and enjoys a stress-free enclosure life with ample space for free-roaming, sunbathing, and resting in shaded areas, minimizing injury risks and promoting overall well-being. Such controlled conditions, free from human-induced disturbances, align with conservation practices that have sustained his health without the threats faced by conspecifics in native environments. Veterinary oversight has been pivotal, with regular check-ups conducted by Dr. Joe Hollins, the island's since 2010, including weekly assessments to monitor and address age-related concerns like mobility. Hollins administers dietary supplements of vitamins, minerals, and trace elements to counteract potential deficiencies, alongside routine parasite control measures typical for captive , ensuring Jonathan's robust condition. No major illnesses have been reported throughout his documented life, with Hollins noting in 2023 that Jonathan remains in good health despite common elderly tortoise issues such as sensory impairments. As of 2025, he continues to be in good health.

Cultural and Public Significance

Media Appearances

Jonathan first gained media attention in following his naming by Governor Sir Spencer Davis, which was reported in British newspapers as a notable event for the long-resident tortoise at . In modern coverage, Jonathan featured prominently during the , when the baton stopped at on February 19 and was presented near him at , with the event captured in a broadcast multiple times on local television Channel 1. The visit also received international attention, highlighting Jonathan's role in the relay's global journey across 70 nations. Jonathan's visibility surged online in recent years through viral photos and videos showcasing his daily life and advanced age. A rare released in February 2025, emphasizing his weathered features, amassed millions of views across social platforms and news outlets, underscoring his status as an enduring natural wonder. Symbolically, Jonathan has been immortalized on Saint Helena's currency, appearing on the reverse of the 5-pence piece since its introduction in as a representation of the island's heritage. Commemorative postage stamps featuring him have marked significant milestones, including a 2022 series issued for his estimated 190th birthday, which included portraits and designs celebrating his longevity and accompanied official festivities.

Official Interactions and Legacy

Jonathan has had notable interactions with members of the British royal family, underscoring his status as a longstanding resident of Saint Helena. In 1947, during a royal tour of the island, he was photographed with King George VI, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, Princess Elizabeth (the future Queen Elizabeth II), and Princess Margaret at Plantation House. Ten years later, in 1957, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, visited Saint Helena and fed Jonathan during his stay. More recently, in January 2024, Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, met Jonathan during an official visit to the territory, continuing a tradition of royal encounters with the tortoise. As a of , Jonathan serves as an emblem of longevity and resilience for the British Overseas Territory. He is featured on local coins, including the five-pence piece, and postage stamps, symbolizing the island's unique heritage and natural history. His presence highlights the territory's commitment to preserving historical and ecological legacies, with official recognition including two for the oldest living land animal and the oldest chelonian. Jonathan has also been incorporated into broader efforts on , promoting awareness of giant tortoise species like his own, the vulnerable . Jonathan's legacy extends to inspiring and on . Visitors can view him and his companions at , the governor's residence, where they roam the grounds freely, drawing global attention to the remote island. This exposure fosters educational initiatives on conservation, emphasizing the importance of protection and longevity in reptilian species, and reinforcing 's role in awareness.

Recent Developments

Events Since 2020

In December 2022, Jonathan celebrated his estimated 190th birthday with a three-day party at the governor's residence on St. Helena, featuring a custom cake made from his favorite vegetables such as carrots and . The event, which drew global media coverage as post-COVID gatherings resumed on the island, also included the issuance of a new series honoring Jonathan's . On January 23, 2024, during an official royal tour of , , visited St. Helena and interacted with Jonathan, crouching down as the tortoise extended its neck in response; official photographs captured the encounter, continuing a tradition of royal meetings with the animal. As a Seychelles giant tortoise originating from the Aldabra atoll, his species has been the focus of 2023–2024 conservation reports on efforts to rewild giant tortoises in the Seychelles, including translocations to islands like Aride and Desroches to restore ecosystems degraded by historical extinctions.

2025 Milestones

In early 2025, Jonathan's 193rd birthday year was marked by social media campaigns from the Saint Helena government, emphasizing his status as the world's oldest known living land animal and encouraging public engagement through posts on platforms like Instagram and Facebook. A rare close-up photograph of Jonathan, shared online in February 2025, went viral, drawing international attention to his age-worn shell and features, and sparking discussions on tortoise conservation. As of November 2025, Jonathan remains in good health at an estimated 192 years old, approaching his 193rd birthday, weighing approximately 182 kg, and continues to be active on the grounds of Plantation House despite his sensory impairments. His longevity as a Seychelles giant tortoise underscores broader conservation initiatives, including rewilding programs for giant tortoises in the Seychelles and Madagascar aimed at restoring ecosystems.

References

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