Jonathan the tortoise nominated for Guinness World Records Icons list 2026

Exam-focused facts from the 21 June 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

Jonathan, a Seychelles giant tortoise residing on Saint Helena island, holds the dual titles of the world's oldest-known land animal and the world's oldest turtle.
Estimated to have been born around 1832, the tortoise is approximately 194 years old and has been nominated for the Guinness World Records (GWR) Icons list for 2026.
Jonathan arrived on Saint Helena Island, a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic Ocean, in 1882.
He currently lives in the garden of Plantation House, which is the official home of the Governor of Saint Helena Island.
Researchers are studying Jonathan's DNA to better understand the ageing process, as giant tortoise cells function differently from human cells.