Born shortly after Napoleon’s death, he is considered the oldest living land animal: “Jonathan”, a giant tortoise from the Seychelles, is celebrating his 190th birthday this weekend on the South Atlantic island of St. Helena, where the French Emperor died in exile in 1821. Scientists have calculated from measurements of his shield that Jonathan hatched around 1832.
50 years later, he was taken from the Seychelles to the British Overseas Territory of St. Helena. Since then he has lived there in the garden of the governor’s residence. This is where the animal got its name in the 1930s. As the “Guinness Book of Records” officially confirmed this year, “Jonathan” is the oldest living land animal and the oldest turtle in the world.
No one knows the exact date of birth of “Jonathan”, but a historical letter and a photo prove that he is at least 190 years old. The letter of the year of arrival shows that he landed as an “adult animal”. Also on a photo taken on the island between 1882 and 1886 (photo below) you can see from the shell diameter that Jonathan was already fully grown when he arrived. According to experts, this corresponds to a minimum age of 50 years for turtles.
As a highlight of the birthday party, the anniversary is served on Sunday with a birthday cake made from his favorite food: According to his caretakers, “Jonathan” especially likes carrots, lettuce, cucumbers, apples and pears. The turtle’s condition was described as “alive and well” in December 2015. However, “Jonathan” has lost both his sense of smell and his sight, but still has excellent hearing.
‘He still loves the ladies’
Despite his advanced age, Jonathan also takes a liking to a female turtle named “Emma”, who is only a little over 50 years old. “He still likes the ladies and I hear him growling quite regularly when he’s out in the field with Emma,” then-Governor Lisa Phillips reported in 2017. “Then I’ll have to keep an eye on him — when I became governor, that’s not in the job description.’
Source: Krone
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