He has lived through more than thirty governors, two world wars and the invention of the telephone, and he’s currently thinking about cucumber. Honestly, goals.
Jonathan is a Seychelles giant tortoise who lives on the grounds of Plantation House, the governor’s residence on St Helena, a remote island in the South Atlantic. Guinness World Records recognizes him as the oldest known living land animal, with an age of at least 194. His hatch year of around 1832 is an estimate, based on the fact that he was already fully mature when he was brought to the island from the Seychelles in 1882 as a gift to the governor. So he may well be older. He isn’t telling.
A day in the life
Jonathan weighs roughly 400 pounds. Time has taken a few things: cataracts have left him nearly blind, and his sense of smell has declined. His hearing, however, is reportedly excellent, which means he hears everything and says nothing, the dream of every coworker. Carers hand-feed him fruit and vegetables about once a week, and his favorites include cabbage, cucumber, carrots, apples and bananas, though bananas can gum up his mouth. By all accounts he’s still quite social, sharing his lawn with companion tortoises Emma and, sometimes, Fred.
His fame goes beyond the island. His image appears on St Helena’s money and stamps, which is more than most of us will ever achieve. Earlier this year, false reports claimed he’d died, and the island’s government had to confirm that he was perfectly alive. Imagine being 194 and needing an official statement that you’re okay.
What makes a tortoise live that long?
Scientists are naturally curious. A genomic study of giant tortoises, including Lonesome George and the Aldabra giant tortoise, found lineage-specific genetic variants linked to DNA repair, inflammation and genes connected to cancer development. Researchers framed those as clues to the evolutionary strategies behind long lifespans, not a full explanation of aging. According to the source we read, the study didn’t examine Jonathan himself, so his personal secret remains his own.
Still, it’s a charming reminder of what slow living can teach us. A tortoise on a quiet lawn has watched the world change for nearly two centuries, and he is not in a hurry. Be more Jonathan.