Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Seychelles today on a three-day state visit. This visit of PM which will run from 27th to 29th June is very special. During this time, he will participate as chief guest in the program organized on the occasion of completion of 50 years of independence of Seychelles located in the Indian Ocean. Along with this there is another special thing. During this visit, the PM will meet an animal which is the oldest in the world.
According to the information, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet the world's oldest living terrestrial creature during his three-day visit to Seychelles. Whose name is Jonathan. This is a giant tortoise of Aldabra species. Whose age is about 194 years. Jonath lives in the National Botanical Garden of Seychelles.
According to Guinness World Records, Jonathan is the world's oldest living terrestrial creature. Although his exact age has not been confirmed, he has lived much longer than the average age of his species (about 150 years). One of the most interesting parts of PM Modi's Seychelles visit is his meeting with Jonathan. This meeting will give a big message of conservation of environment and heritage.
PM Modi's meeting with Jonathan is being seen as an example of the importance being given by India and Seychelles to conservation, sustainability and protection of natural heritage. After reaching Seychelles, PM will go to National Botanical Garden. There he will also participate in a tree planting program to show shared commitment towards biodiversity conservation, environmental protection and climate adaptation in the Indian Ocean region.
Jonathan the tortoise is officially a Guinness World Records ICON
Believed to have been born c. 1832, Jonathan is the oldest living land animal at the grand old age of 194 years. He is a Seychelles giant tortoise and the average life expectancy of his species is 150. pic.twitter.com/WqxBrM4Z8H
— Guinness World Records (@GWR) June 17, 2026
The Prime Minister is attending the National Day celebrations of Seychelles as the chief guest. This year India-Seychelles is completing 50 years of diplomatic relations. Apart from the National Day programmes, PM Modi will also visit Seychelles Coast Guard Base. Maritime security and regional stability are major areas of cooperation between the two countries.
During this visit, PM Modi will meet Seychelles President Dr. Patrick Herminie. Both the leaders will discuss important issues like maritime security, climate change and cooperation in the field of defence. This is PM's second visit to Seychelles. Earlier he had gone to Seychelles in 2015. Indian Naval ships and a contingent of Indian defense personnel are also taking part in the National Day celebrations of Seychelles. Officials hope that this visit of PM will further strengthen the mutual relations between the two countries and will also open new avenues of economic-strategic cooperation.
When Jonathan the tortoise was born in about 1832, Queen Victoria was not yet on the British throne, Mahatma Gandhi was not born, and India was completely under British colonial rule. The Seychelles giant tortoise, believed to be 194 years old, has been officially recognized as a Guinness World Records Icon and is the oldest living terrestrial creature on Earth. His extraordinary age has fascinated scientists for years.
Jonathan lives on the South Atlantic island of St. Helena, where he has become a global celebrity. Although his exact date of birth is unknown, historical records indicate that he was born around 1832 and arrived on the island as an adult in the 1880s.
Jonathan belongs to the giant tortoise species, a group of giant herbivorous reptiles found in the islands of the Indian Ocean. The weight of these turtles can exceed 250 kg and their length can exceed one meter. This species evolved in isolated island environments where there were few natural predators, which helped them develop a slow lifestyle and remarkably long lifespan. The average life span of the Seychelles giant tortoise is estimated to be around 150 years, making them one of the longest-lived creatures on the planet.
