This Animal is Older Than Morse Code and Still Going Strong

In 1832, Jonathan the Seychelles giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa) was born. Although his exact birthdate is unknown, he has been given the official birthday of December 4, 1832. Jonathan is the oldest tortoise and the oldest known living mammal on the planet.

The year that Jonathan was born, Andrew Jackson was president, William IV was the king of England, and New York City saw its first horse-drawn street car. Furthermore, wagon trains wouldn’t set off on the Oregon Trail for a few more years.

How is it possible for a mammal to have lived such an incredibly long life, and how is Jonathan doing today? Let’s find out!

About Seychelles Giant Tortoises

Seychelles giant tortoises are a subspecies of the Aldabra giant tortoise. These gentle beasts once lived throughout islands in the Indian Ocean and Madagascar. However, European soldiers’ poaching and habitat destruction decimated their populations.

Today, most Aldabra giant tortoises live on the mainly untouched atoll of Aldabra, in the Outer Islands of the Seychelles. There are over 150,000 of them on Aldabra today. Male giant tortoises can weigh up to 550 pounds or more, though the females are slightly smaller at 350 pounds.

Jonathan’s Early Years

We don’t know much about Jonathan’s early days. However, when Jonathan was around 50 years old, he was brought to the tropical island of St. Helena with three other tortoises from the Seychelles. St. Helena is a British Overseas Territory and was the exiled home of Napoleon Bonaparte, who died just 11 years before Jonathan was born.

Jonathan was a gift to Sir William Grey-Wilson who later became governor. Jonathan’s new home was in the gardens of the governor’s residence, known as the Plantation House. Since the day he arrived in 1882, Jonathan has roamed and grazed with other tortoises amid the governor’s gardens, surviving over 30 different governors.

Because he was fully grown, animal experts think Jonathan was 50 years old when he arrived in St. Helena. However, it’s possible he could have been even older. The island’s veterinarian, Joe Hollins said in 2015, “We have a record that he was landed in 1882 fully grown. We are told that fully grown is at least 50 years of age, and so this is how we extrapolate back to a hatching date of 1832.”

What’s Jonathan’s Life Like Today?

Reports of Jonathan’s life depict an astonishingly spry, yet elderly tortoise. As of 2023, Jonathan’s veterinarian, Joe Hollins told the Guinness World Records (GWR) that the tortoise has shown, “no sign of slowing down.” Jonathan’s appetite remains excellent. His caretakers do need to hand feed him because he has lost his sense of smell and has poor eyesight due to cataracts.

Jonathan lives at the Plantation House gardens with three other tortoises: David, Fred, and Emma. Jonathan’s fellow tortoises are much younger than him. Emma and David are both in their 50s, while Fred is 34. Despite his advanced age, Hollins told GWR that Jonathan has a healthy libido and frequently mates with both Fred and Emma. As Hollins explains it, “Animals are often not particularly gender-sensitive.”

What Does Jonathan Eat?

The tortoises on St. Helena Island are free to graze on grass each day. They are also given supplemental fruit and vegetables and get their water from a trough in the lawn.

Jonathan used to wander the gardens and graze on grass, but these days, he only eats by hand. To keep him healthy with proper nutrition, Jonathan’s handlers feed him carrots, lettuce, cabbage, bananas, and guavas.

How Old Do Seychelles Giant Tortoises Normally Get?

The typical life expectancy for a giant tortoise is 150 years old. Jonathan has long surpassed that. However, he’s not the oldest known giant tortoise that ever lived. Adwaita the Aldabra Giant Tortoise living in India is thought to have lived to be 255 years old.

How Has Jonathan’s Care Been Handled Over the Years?

Throughout Jonathan’s life, history has continued moving ever forward. Kings and queens have died, presidents have come and gone, countries have merged and formed, and great wars have been fought. How can humans with our short lifespans and rapid change give Jonathan continuous care through nearly 200 years?

One thing that hasn’t changed much throughout the years has been Jonathan’s life. Although the human caretakers come and go, Jonathan has lived in the governor’s residence since 1882. Today, the governor of St. Helena lives in the same historic Plantation House where Sir William Grey-Wilson, Jonathan’s first owner, lived. The people on the island adore Jonathan and he also receives visits from eager tourists. Through the years, although his keepers have changed hands, records have been kept and through it all, Jonathan has grazed, mated, munched veggies, spent time with his tortoise friends, and lived the good life of a giant tortoise.