This is Jonathan, The Oldest-Known Terrestrial Animal In The World

Mar 29, 2019

Imagine having a relative that was born before Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb. While there is no human being who can live that long, there is another animal who can.

According to the Guinness World Records, Jonathan is a tortoise who was only a tiny hatchling back in the year 1832.

Jonathan is currently 187 years old and is the oldest terrestrial animal on the planet. He is a giant tortoise from Seychelles who enjoys relaxing on the beaches of St. Helena.

This small island is located in the South Atlantic and receives great weather throughout the year. Jonathan has lived here since the late 1880s and has no desire to move.

This giant tortoise has a whole team of caretakers who ensure that he remains healthy. He lives on the land of the governor's mansion and receives fresh veggies throughout the week.

As an iconic member of the island, Jonathan has seen many generations of visitors come and go.

Despite being completely blind, Jonathan has no trouble navigating around the island. He spends most of his days relaxing in the sun and chewing on the grass with his friends.

The island is a perfect paradise for the older turtle who needs a quiet atmosphere and lush surroundings to relax. Jonathan has become so popular in the area that his portrait is featured on the back of a local coin.

He has received royal status as the oldest animal in the area. Although he moves slowly around the island, all animals show respect to his highness.

Despite being a social and happy tortoise, Jonathan experienced some medical issues a few years ago. Fortunately, a diet change was able to correct all of his issues. He is now back to full health and feels as strong as ever.

Joe Hollens, who is one of Jonathan's primary carers and also a veterinarian, told Guinness Records:

Some 10 years ago, improvements were made to Jonathan’s habitat and it was noticed that he [was having problems feeding]. His beak was blunt so that he struggled to scythe the grass (other tortoises have finely grooved beaks resulting in a serrated edge that cuts grass), and he would often try to graze on areas of leaf mould or dirt. His sense of smell seems to be non-existent. 

We introduced once-weekly feeding of good calorific food and this has transformed him, demonstrating probable micro-deficiencies of vitamins, minerals and trace elements. He loves banana, but it tends to gum up his mouth. Lettuce hearts, though not very nutritious, are a favourite. He also greatly enjoys cabbage, cucumber, apple, other seasonal fruits, carrots – a good source of dietary fibre that he loves – and any other offerings from Plantation, which provides feed from the kitchens. 

Do you know an animal or perhaps even a relative who has lived way past their life expectancy? Let us know in the comments - and make sure you pass this along to your friends and family!