He’s lived through two world wars, eight British monarchs and 40 U.S. presidents. His lifetime has seen the first phone call (1876), the first skyscraper (1885), the first power-driven flight (1903), the first people to walk on the moon (1969).
He was alive when the first photograph of a person was taken (1838); now he poses for selfies with adoring tourists. He was born before the creation of the postage stamp (1840), and now appears on them.
He is Jonathan, the world’s oldest tortoise. And he’s celebrating his 190th birthday.
Jonathan marked the occasion with a three-day birthday party over the weekend at his home on the South Atlantic island and British overseas territory St. Helena, where he’s spent the majority of his long life (minus the first 50 years or so).
Jonathan is believed to have been born in 1832, but could potentially be even older. His estimated age is based on the fact that he was fully mature when he was brought to St. Helena from the Seychelles in 1882 as a gift to its then-governor.
Approved ~ FS
FoundingFrog
Article URL : https://www.npr.org/2022/12/07/1141180557/jonathan-tortoise-birthday-190