190-Year-Old Jonathan becomes world’s oldest tortoise ever, earns Guinness World Records title

The Guinness Book of World Records has certified Jonathan, a 190-year-old tortoise, as the world's oldest living land animal. In the year 2022, the tortoise on St Helena Island, British Overseas Territory, had turned 190 years old and been celebrated.

According to Guinness World Records website, Jonathan is believed to have been born c. 1832, thus making him 190 years old in 2022.

“Jonathan’s age is an estimation based on the fact that he was fully mature, and hence at least 50 years old, when he arrived in St Helena from the Seychelles in 1882. In all likelihood, he is even older than we think,” Guinness World Records said.

Jonathan has lived through some major human milestones, such as:

• 1838 – the first photograph of a person was taken

• 1876 – the first telephone call was made

• 1878 – the first incandescent lightbulb was invented

• 1887 – the Eiffel Tower, the world’s tallest iron structure, was completed

• 1903 – the first power-driven flight took to the skies, flown by the Wright brothers (both USA)

• 1969 – Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin (both USA) became the first people on the Moon