Jonathan (tortoise)
Encyclopedia
Jonathan is a Seychelles giant tortoise
(Dipsochelys hololissa) that lives on the island of Saint Helena
.
Jonathan was brought to the island from the Seychelles
in 1882, along with three other tortoises at about 50 years of age. He was named in the 1930s by Governor Sir Spencer Davis. He continues to live in the grounds of the official residence of the Governor, at Plantation House
, and belongs to the government of Saint Helena.
His possible age was realized when a photograph was uncovered from a collection of Boer War
images showing a tortoise next to a war prisoner around the year 1900. On December 5, 2008, the Daily Mail
published a story claiming Jonathan is the same tortoise pictured in the photograph. If he were about 70 years old at the time of the photo, he could now be the oldest living reptile on earth.
The article erroneously stated Jonathan was of the species Testudinipae cytodira. This is nonsensical, and appears to be a double misspelling as well as a reference not to his species, but rather to his family, Testudinidae and genus, Cryptodira
respectively.
The all-time verified record holder for oldest tortoise, according to Guinness World Records
, is Tui Malila, who died in Madagascar in 1965 at the age of 189. Adwaita
, an Aldabra giant tortoise
that died in 2006 in the Alipore Zoological Gardens
of Kolkata
, India, is believed to have lived to the age of 255 years, but this has not been confirmed.
The local 5 pence coin has Jonathan on its reverse.
Seychelles giant tortoise
The Seychelles giant tortoise has been thought to be extinct since the mid-19th century due to overexploitation on the granitic Seychelles islands. Similar giant tortoise species on other Indian Ocean islands such as Mauritius, Réunion and Rodrigues Island are also extinct...
(Dipsochelys hololissa) that lives on the island of Saint Helena
Saint Helena
Saint Helena , named after St Helena of Constantinople, is an island of volcanic origin in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha which also includes Ascension Island and the islands of Tristan da Cunha...
.
Jonathan was brought to the island from the Seychelles
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
in 1882, along with three other tortoises at about 50 years of age. He was named in the 1930s by Governor Sir Spencer Davis. He continues to live in the grounds of the official residence of the Governor, at Plantation House
Plantation House (Saint Helena)
Plantation House is the official residence of the Governor of Saint Helena. It is located 2 miles to the south of the capital, Jamestown, on the island of Saint Helena.-History:...
, and belongs to the government of Saint Helena.
His possible age was realized when a photograph was uncovered from a collection of Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
images showing a tortoise next to a war prisoner around the year 1900. On December 5, 2008, the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
published a story claiming Jonathan is the same tortoise pictured in the photograph. If he were about 70 years old at the time of the photo, he could now be the oldest living reptile on earth.
The article erroneously stated Jonathan was of the species Testudinipae cytodira. This is nonsensical, and appears to be a double misspelling as well as a reference not to his species, but rather to his family, Testudinidae and genus, Cryptodira
Cryptodira
Cryptodira is the taxonomic suborder of Testudines that includes most living tortoises and turtles. Cryptodira differ from Pleurodira in that they lower their necks and pull the heads straight back into the shells; instead of folding their necks sideways along the body under the shells' margins...
respectively.
The all-time verified record holder for oldest tortoise, according to Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
, is Tui Malila, who died in Madagascar in 1965 at the age of 189. Adwaita
Adwaita
Adwaita was the name of a male Aldabra giant tortoise in the Alipore Zoological Gardens of Kolkata, India...
, an Aldabra giant tortoise
Aldabra Giant Tortoise
The Aldabra giant tortoise , from the islands of the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles, is one of the largest tortoises in the world....
that died in 2006 in the Alipore Zoological Gardens
Alipore Zoological Gardens
The Alipore Zoological Gardens is India's oldest formally stated zoological park and a big tourist attraction in Kolkata, West Bengal. It has been open as a zoo since 1876, and covers...
of Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, India, is believed to have lived to the age of 255 years, but this has not been confirmed.
The local 5 pence coin has Jonathan on its reverse.