Jonathan the tortoise was born in 1832. He’s seen a lot since then.
The world is a much different place now than it was when Jonathan was just a little hatchling.
The lightbulb had yet to be invented, the American Civil War was still 3 decades away, and life expectancy was 39 years for men and 43 for women. Jonathan has outlived a lot of human beings during his long tenure on Earth.
Jonathan is believed to be the oldest known living animal.
This does not include some animals we are unable to track as efficiently, however. For instance, Greenland sharks are believed to have a lifespan of around 272 years. They don’t even reach sexual maturity until they are 150!
Jonathan is the longest living individual animal that we know of, however.
He is a 189-year-old Seychelles giant tortoise.
Jonathan lives on St. Helena island in the South Atlantic where he moved to when he was just a young chap of only 48-years-of-age. He’s been living there since the 1880s.
Jonathan lives on the governor’s massive estate.
He pretty much as the run of the island. He’s something of a local celebrity. Jonathan makes his home on the lush, fertile grounds outside the governor’s mansion. Teeny Lucy is the chairperson for St. Helena’s local SPCA and visits with Jonathan to give him food and look after the senior fellow.
“Being the oldest land animal in the world, he has almost royal status here,” Lucy said. “He is dignified and interacts in a friendly way as long as people move slowly around him. We are all very fond of him.”
His longevity has surprised many people on the island. He is 1 of 4 giant tortoises who live on the governor’s mansion property and is by far the oldest of the bunch. The next oldest tortoise is only 82-years-young.
The island is so fond of Jonathan that they have immortalized him by printing his picture on the back of their five pence coin.
Jonathan has encountered health problems.
Jonathan has had his share of health problems, however. It is believed that he is likely fully blind. This does not stop him from roaming around the mansion grounds, however. He seems to very much enjoy spending time with the other tortoises and lounging in the sun.
Other health problems were discovered as well but a change of diet managed to solve the problem.
“We started feeding Jonathan on a weekly basis a few years ago to supplement his grass diet and boost his nutrition,” Lucy continued. “This was because the island vet realized that his beak (that he scythes grass with) was soft and crumbly and that he was too cold and had lost weight. All that has reversed now and he is as fit as a fiddle!”
Jonathan’s vision problems don’t seem to limit him too much. His handlers note that they never have to look too hard for him come feeding time.
“He knows my voice and he knows the vet’s voice and reacts by walking toward us,” Lucy said. “It’s all about the food!”
Learn about Jonathan’s tremendous 189-year adventure on this planet in the video below.
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