The world’s oldest land animal, Jonathan the tortoise, has outlived 40 US presidents
The oldest land animal on the planet — Jonathan the turtle — has outlived 40 US presidents. The male was 192 years old, and he is officially recognized as the oldest land animal. About this informsIFLScience.
The exact age of the Seychelles giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa) is not known for sure. It is known that Jonathan got to the island of St. Helena in the South Atlantic in 1882 as a gift for William Gray-Wilson, who was to become the governor of the British colony. Since the turtle was already mature at the time, the researchers assumed that it was at least 50 years old.
In 2022, scientists officially determined Jonathan’s birthday — December 4, 1832. Thus, he will be at least 193 years old by the end of this year. During this time, the turtle managed to survive the reigns of more than forty American leaders — from Andrew Jackson to Donald Trump.
Currently, Jonathan has almost no vision due to cataracts, as well as a weakened sense of smell. However, according to veterinarian Joe Hollins, his appetite remains excellent. The turtle is especially fond of bananas, although they sometimes get stuck in its mouth. Jonathan also eats lettuce cores – although they are not very nutritious, they remain his favorite treat.
Researchers note that Jonathan likes to bask in the sun. In cool weather, he pulls his long neck and legs out of his shell to better absorb heat. On hot days, on the contrary, it looks for shade, and in winter it hides in humus or mowed grass.
This allows Jonathan to conserve energy for companionship with the two other turtles he lives next to, Emma and Fred. Despite his advanced age, Jonathan continues to be active — he regularly mates with Emma and sometimes with Fred.
