His age was estimated at the time he was found in 1882. This species matures at around 50 years old and he was past that age, so he might be older than 189 but we will never know.
He lives on a South Atlantic island, Saint Helena (aka the place Napoleon Bonaparte lived until his death in 1815) where he’s well taken care of by the governor of the island. According to his vet, he likes listening to tennis.
The average lifespan for his species is 150, but he’s super healthy aside from cataracts in both eyes and possible loss of smell.
Jonathan has a mate, Fred, who until recently was thought to be female. Fred is male.
His species (which is a subspecies of Aldabra giant Tortoise) are on the endangered list with only about 80 recorded worldwide. However, many giant Tortoises currently hold the record for longest living land animals with a few others’ ages ranging between 175-250 years. So Jonathan still has a while to go!
Here’s Jonathan (on the left) in 1882 upon his arrival to the island:
(photo courtesy of Guinness World Records)
Jonathan has lived through both world wars, the Russian Revolution, 39 U.S. presidents, 7 British monarchs, the creation of the typewriter, the completion of the Eiffel Tower, the coronation of Queen Victoria, the release of the first postage stamp, the building of the first skyscraper, the first photograph of a person, the first lightbulb, and the first powered flight.
“Practically everything. You, for example. Gold is heavy. Your weight in gold is not very much gold at all. Aren’t you worth more than that?”
Sacharissa looked momentarily flustered, to Moist’s glee. “Well, in a manner of speaking–”
“The only manner worth talking about,” said Moist flatly. “The world is full of things worth more than gold. But we dig the damn stuff up and then bury it in a different hole. Where’s the sense in that? What are we, magpies? Is it all about the gleam? Good heavens, potatoes are worth more than gold!”
Taking kids from their parents at the border, adopting them out to white families, and then forcibly sterilising the adults in concentration camps. This is genocide.
