Jonathan the tortoise, world’s oldest land animal, celebrates his 190th birthday

Earlier this month, the world’s oldest land animal celebrated his 190th birthday. A Seychelles tortoise called Jonathan celebrated his birthday on the South Atlantic island of St. Helena at the island’s governor’s house, where he has lived most of his life, along three other giant tortoises.

Visitors were welcomed into the governor’s house over three days to celebrate this historic milestone. There is no official record of Jonathan’s birth, however, he is believed to have been born around 1832, but it’s possible he has already reached his 200th birthday. He was brought to St. Helena in 1882 as a gift to Sir William Grey-Wilson.

Jonathan is starting to lose some of his senses, although, his hearing is still excellent and he continues to sunbathe on nice days.

For more information see Mia Alberti, Lianne Kolirin, and Tara Subramaniam “Jonathan the tortoise, world’s oldest land animal, celebrates his 190th birthday”, CNN, December 3, 2022

Special thanks to Adam J. Hirsch (Professor of Law at the University of San Diego School of Law) for bringing this article to my attention.

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/trusts_estates_prof/2022/12/jonathan-the-tortoise-worlds-oldest-land-animal-celebrates-his-190th-birthday.html