Jonathan is the name of the world’s oldest known living land animal, a giant tortoise on Saint Helena. He is a Seychelles giant tortoise, a subspecies of the Aldabra giant tortoise, and his age is estimated rather than known exactly.
Jonathan arrived on Saint Helena in 1882, when he was already fully mature. Because giant tortoises reach maturity only after several decades, researchers estimate that he hatched no later than about 1832. He has lived at Plantation House, the governor’s residence, for more than a century and has seen 31 governors serve on the island.
Jonathan is sometimes confused with Tu’i Malila, a radiated tortoise that died in Tonga in 1966 at an estimated age of 188 or 189. Tu’i Malila remains an important longevity record, but Jonathan became older than that verified age in 2022. Another tortoise, Adwaita, was reportedly around 255 when he died, although that claim has not been confirmed. Jonathan’s official birthday is celebrated on 4 December.