As we all know, Tortoise is a slow moving animal, but that’s why it has a lot of time in this world. Turtles can live up to 100 years old. But when faced with an animal that has lived longer than any human, the turtle has also had to pay for an extremely long life. Jonathan– the Seychelles giant tortoise is said to be 190 years old, an age that we cannot expect for a tortoise.
Jonathan, the record turtle of records.
Jonathan’s unexpected longevity has landed him in the world records: in 2019, when he was 187 years old, he was officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest terrestrial animal. But now he has added a new Guinness World Record: he is officially the oldest turtle in the world ever recorded.
In a press release from January 12, Jonathan was declared “the oldest chelonian” by Guinness, which includes all tortoises, tortoises and terrapins.
He broke all previous records, Tu’i Malila, who lived to be at least 188 years old until his death in 1965. Jonathan predicts at least 190 years old, but even this number could be much larger than reality. Estimates of his age come from when he arrived in Saint Helena from the Seychelles in 1882: he is described as “fully grown”, meaning he was also somewhere around 50 years old at the time. there. Thus, it is estimated that his birth year is 1832 at the latest.
It’s not clear how long Jonathan lived: In his birth year 1832, Andrew Jackson was president of the United States and Queen Victoria was the reigning monarch of England. His life witnessed 2 major bar wars of the world: Civil War and both World Wars; he lived decades before the invention of the plane and was 137 years old when man first set foot on the moon.
If this old tortoise could talk, he would surely have countless stories to tell his children and grandchildren. But instead, he lived happily ever after: he still lived in Saint Helena, on the Governor’s official estate. He is a very famous local even though many generations have passed.
Life full of ups and downs of Jonathan
“Jonathan is an icon here,” said Teeny Lucy, local SPCA president. “He was a seasoned old gentleman who had seen it all. He landed in St. Helena in 1882 as a full adult; he has seen generations of people come and go. Originally, if a person lives too long, he becomes quiet, but he does not, he lives a very happy and peaceful life despite the hustle and bustle out there.
“As the oldest living animal in the world, he almost holds the royal status here,” she added. “He is very dignified and friendly as long as everyone moves slowly like him. We all love him very much.”
Although it has been almost two centuries, Jonathan is still very strong. “The Veterinary Department still feeds him by hand once a week to increase his calories, vitamins, minerals and trace elements, as he is blind and has no sense of smell,” St. Helena told Guinness. “Although, I don’t have those kinds of senses, but his hearing was brilliant and he enjoyed human companionship and was very responsive to the voice of veterinarian Joe Hollins when matching him with an outdoor party.”
“He loves to eat bananas, but it makes gum in his mouth. Lettuce hearts, even though cucumbers don’t have a lot of nutrients, are his favorite,” adds Jonathan’s veterinarian, Joe Hollins, who also loves cabbage, apples, and other vegetables. other fruits.
In Jonathan’s life, the world has gone through a lot of changes (including the invention of the light bulb…) but he is still like a precious old turtle, content to just continue living a good life. beautiful and peaceful.
Joe told Guinness: “He was a local icon for us, a symbol of perseverance in the face of change.
Really, Congratulations to Jonathan for setting the world record record! We hope Jonathan will continue to pass on his valuable motivations and experiences.
