2023-12-14 14:13:51
Do we really need to be worried about Joe Biden (81)?
There is a turtle who has, so to speak, “on the conscience” of a lot of US presidents. At 191 years old, armored Grandpa Jonathan is not only the oldest living land animal – he has also survived an incredible 40 US presidents (and two world wars). As a reminder, Biden is the 46th President of the USA.
While most of his predecessors (including Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt) are no longer with us, “Chill Toad” Jonathan has been relaxing on the island of St. Helena in the South Atlantic for 141 years. It was presented there as a gift to the then governor in 1882.
When Abraham Lincoln was US president from 1861 until his death in 1865, Jonathan the turtle was just in his 30s
Foto: picture alliance/AP Images
Theodore Roosevelt lived until 1919 and was US President between 1901 and 1909
Photo: ddp
The birth year of the Seychelles giant tortoise is estimated to be 1832 – a conservative estimate, as Jonathan is said to have already been fully grown when he arrived on St. Helena – i.e. at least 50 years old.
Curious: The proof of the assumed age was found in an old photo from the years between 1882 and 1886, which shows Jonathan grazing in the garden of the then governor William Grey-Wilson.
The island’s current governor, Nigel Phillips, paid tribute to Jonathan back in November 2022 when he gave the turtle an official birthday – December 4, 1832. The English newspaper “The Guardian” reported about it at the time.
Even for the Seychelles giant tortoise, which is known for its enormous lifespan, Jonathan has long since reached old age. The average life expectancy is approximately 150 years.
He easily broke two Guinness World Records:
It is the oldest living land animal and therefore also the oldest living armored animal. In 2021, Jonathan inherited the title of oldest living mammal from the radiated tortoise Tu’i Malila, which lived until 1965 and was at least 188 years old.
In 2022, BILD reporter Michael Quandt visited the giant tortoise in the governor’s garden to feed it vegetables
Photo: Michael Quandt
Incredible: Despite his old age, Jonathan still tries to mate with other turtles. And they are significantly younger than him: Emma (55) and Frederik (32) have significantly fewer years on their tanks than the wild Jonathan.
This was also confirmed by veterinarian Joe Hollins, who looks after the turtles. Although Jonathan went blind because of his cataracts and lost his sense of smell, he is otherwise in good health and has a strong libido.
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