Easily, Jonathan is the world’s oldest land animal at 190 years. While there is no official record of his birth, Jonathan is thought to have been born around 1832.
He was brought to St. Helena from Seychelles in 1882 as a gift for Governor Sir William Grey-Wilson.
According to Matt Joshua, the head of tourism on St. Helena, Jonathan could be 200 years old.
Jonathan is also the oldest chelonian, a category that includes all turtles, terrapins, and tortoises, according to Guinness World Records.
Tu’i Malila, a radiated tortoise who lived to be at least 188 years old, was the previous oldest chelonian. Tu’i Malila, who was presented to the royal family of Tonga by British explorer Captain James Cook around 1777, died in 1965.
