Jonathan The Tortoise Photographed In 1902 And Today

Although he may be not as fast as he used to be, 182-year-old Jonathan the giant tortoise is still going strong. He just might be the oldest living tortoise, or even terrestrial animal, in the world.

It is thought that Jonathan was brought to the island of St. Helena in 1882. A photo from 1902 shows him at his full adult size and it can take 50 years for a giant tortoise to reach its adult size, meaning that he could have been born in 1832.

Jonathan is probably the oldest land animal currently living, but he isn’t the oldest ever – other tortoises have lived longer, with one unconfirmed tortoise in India that may have lived up to as many as 250 years of age.

More info: sthelenaonline.org | bbc.com (h/t: imgur)

1902 vs Today

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Source: imgur

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Image credits: Guy Gatien

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Source: sthelenaonline.com

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Source: BBC

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Source: earthphotos.com

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Image credits: Guy Gatien

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Source: oceanwide-expeditions.com

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Image credits: Joe Hollins

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Image credits: Darrin Henry

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There is a beast with heart of cold stone that dashes like lightning, shreds flesh from bone. // Bewitched by this beast, I fell to my knees. My mouth babbled madness and mumbled soft pleas. // I stared down the ravenous, gnashing dark maw of a cute cuddly kitten with yarn in its paw

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