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29:
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His age is estimated because he was "fully mature" when brought to Saint Helena in 1882. "Fully mature" means at least 50 years old, giving him a hatching date no later than 1832. A photograph featuring
Jonathan originally thought to date from 1902 actually dates from 1886, showing Jonathan four
297:
The sex of
Frederica, one of two of his favourite tortoises thought to be female (the other being Emily), as well as his companion since 1991, was cast into doubt in 2017 when island veterinarian Catherine Man indicated that due to a deformity of its
302:
its sex could not be verified, and is now known to be male, being renamed
Frederik. While Frederik was undergoing the examination, Jonathan came over and did not leave the side of Frederik and the veterinarian during the entire process.
293:
reported that
Jonathan was given a new diet intended to keep him healthy and extend his life. Due to his advanced age, Jonathan spends his days doing almost everything with his mate, including eating, sleeping and mating.
306:
To mark
Jonathan's supposed 190th birthday in February 2022, island officials planned to make a series of commemorative stamps and visitors received a certificate featuring a photograph of his first known footprint.
289:, has lost his sense of smell, and so cannot detect food (his fellow giants mug him and can detect the tiniest morsel dropped on the ground), but he has retained excellent hearing." In January 2016, the
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On 4 December 2022, local residents arranged three days of
Jonathan's birthday celebration, presenting a cake made entirely from his favourite foods.
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years after his arrival on Saint Helena. Measurements taken from the photograph show that he was fully mature in 1886.
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In
December 2015, the St Helena vet Joe Hollins said that Jonathan was "alive and well He's blind from
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246:, whilst holding the baton, posed for a photo alongside Jonathan in the grounds of Plantation House.
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in 1882, along with three other tortoises at about 50 years of age. He was named in the 1930s by
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and has lived through 31 governors' terms. He continues to live on the grounds of
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Earliest known photograph of
Jonathan the 189 year old tortoise, taken in 1886
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823:
784:"Tortoise Celebrates its 190th Birthday as the World's Oldest Land Animal"
511:"Introducing Jonathan, the world's oldest animal on land at 187 years old"
870:
718:
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130:). His approximate age is estimated to be 191 as of 2024, making him the
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474:"The fascinating sex life of Jonathan, the 185-year-old giant tortoise"
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on his visit to St Helena. Jonathan previously met the Duke's mother
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In 2022, Jonathan's estimated age exceeded that of the tortoise that
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Jonathan exploring the paddock in front of
Plantation House (2022)
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Jonathan (left) with another giant tortoise (1886) (aged 53–54)
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802:"Duke of Edinburgh meets oldest living terrestrial animal"
683:"Jonathan, St. Helena's ancient tortoise, awaits visitors"
434:"Meet Jonathan, St Helena's 189-year-old giant tortoise"
395:
393:
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547:"At 190, Jonathan the Tortoise Is the World's Oldest"
218:, an Aldabra giant tortoise that died in 2006 in the
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695:from the original on 30 November 2017 – via
18:Oldest known living land animal (hatched c. 1832)
754:"The Oldest Animal In The World Is Probably Gay"
648:"Queen's Baton completes busy time on St Helena"
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714:"Giant 183-year-old tortoise given new diet"
206:had recognised as the oldest recorded ever,
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242:, the baton visited Saint Helena. Governor
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701:appears on the island's five-pence coin
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161:, was brought to Saint Helena from the
545:Gamillo, Elizabeth (4 February 2022).
490:from the original on 21 September 2018
630:"250-Year-Old Tortoise Dies In India"
7:
681:Debut, Béatrice (27 November 2017).
572:"St Helena - Joining the Rest of Us"
540:
538:
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134:. Jonathan resides on the island of
662:from the original on 4 January 2015
582:from the original on 14 August 2018
509:Millward, Adam (27 February 2019).
450:from the original on 1 October 2019
262:Sally Kettle visited Saint Helena.
252:featured Jonathan in an episode of
764:from the original on 11 April 2021
752:Koslowski, Max (22 October 2017).
521:from the original on 9 August 2020
400:Hollins, Jonathan (8 April 2016).
14:
730:from the original on 23 July 2017
472:Rogers, James (23 October 2017).
234:In February 2014, as part of the
822:
376:from the original on 8 July 2019
315:Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh
120:Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa
432:Kettle, Sally (13 March 2014).
329:also paid him a visit in 1957.
132:oldest known living land animal
313:In January 2024, Jonathan met
1:
605:"Oldest land animal (living)"
269:has Jonathan on its reverse.
155:
108:
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267:Saint Helena five-pence coin
98:100–150 kg (200–350 lb)
992:Animal world record holders
214:in 1966 at the age of 189.
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255:From Our Own Correspondent
220:Alipore Zoological Gardens
140:British Overseas Territory
409:The St Helena Independent
116:Seychelles giant tortoise
66: 1832 (age 191–192)
45:Seychelles giant tortoise
26:
370:Saint Helena Island Info
171:Governor of Saint Helena
788:www.goodnewsnetwork.org
484:Fox Entertainment Group
366:"Jonathan the tortoise"
240:2014 Commonwealth Games
122:), a subspecies of the
90:Frederik (1991–present)
609:Guinness World Records
515:Guinness World Records
282:
203:Guinness World Records
193:
128:Aldabrachelys gigantea
124:Aldabra giant tortoise
33:Jonathan in April 2021
402:"Your Opinion Counts"
280:
191:
1002:Individual tortoises
831:at Wikimedia Commons
688:Agence France-Presse
658:. 25 February 2014.
551:Smithsonian Magazine
258:in March 2014 after
144:South Atlantic Ocean
997:1830s animal births
829:Jonathan (tortoise)
806:www.telegraph.co.uk
236:Queen's Baton Relay
72:, British Mauritius
23:
808:. 23 January 2024.
790:. 3 December 2022.
758:HuffPost Australia
726:. 8 January 2016.
339:Harriet (tortoise)
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154:Jonathan, hatched
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827:Media related to
650:(Press release).
174:Sir Spencer Davis
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766:. Retrieved
760:. HuffPost.
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656:Saint Helena
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167:Indian Ocean
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81:Saint Helena
15:
940:Tu'i Malila
878:Individuals
865:Individual
614:1 September
556:1 September
260:ocean rower
208:Tu'i Malila
159: 1832
112: 1832
981:Categories
345:References
273:Since 2015
244:Mark Capes
163:Seychelles
70:Seychelles
925:Mr Turpen
905:Esmeralda
871:tortoises
666:4 January
652:Jamestown
586:14 August
454:4 January
325:in 1947.
323:George VI
287:cataracts
250:BBC Radio
107:(hatched
77:Residence
915:Jonathan
768:11 April
762:Archived
728:Archived
719:BBC News
693:Archived
660:Archived
580:Archived
519:Archived
488:Archived
479:Fox News
448:Archived
439:BBC News
374:Archived
333:See also
300:plastron
230:In media
105:Jonathan
22:Jonathan
935:Timothy
910:Harriet
890:Adwaita
885:Adelita
867:turtles
734:16 June
525:14 July
494:1 April
414:29 July
380:18 July
224:Kolkata
216:Adwaita
165:in the
150:History
142:in the
114:) is a
87:Mate(s)
59:Hatched
40:Species
966:Zond 7
961:Zond 6
956:Zond 5
895:Cụ Rùa
95:Weight
900:Diego
405:(PDF)
212:Tonga
930:Mzee
869:and
770:2021
736:2016
668:2015
616:2022
588:2018
558:2022
527:2020
496:2018
456:2015
416:2017
382:2019
265:The
138:, a
54:Male
724:BBC
576:BBC
444:BBC
291:BBC
222:of
184:Age
51:Sex
983::
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744:^
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156:c.
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109:c.
63:c.
858:e
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844:v
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126:(
118:(
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