The Seychelles giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa) named Jonathan has been recognized as the oldest terrestrial living being on Earth. Recently, he turned 191 years old, however, according to some reports, his age may even be greater, reports the Guinness World Records website.
In 1882, Jonathan, along with several other turtles of his species, was transported from his native Seychelles to the remote island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic, where he was placed on the grounds of the governor's residence. Since then, Jonathan has successfully lived there for 141 years.
At the time of his arrival on the island, Jonathan was already sexually mature, which means he was at least 50 years old, so his estimated birth date is around 1832. However, there is a possibility that Jonathan has already reached the 200-year milestone and may even have crossed into his third century. In any case, he is an outstanding long-liver both in terms of human life and for his species — Seychelles tortoises typically live around 150 years.
According to veterinarian Joe Hollins, who has been caring for Jonathan for a long time, even if his charge has not yet reached 200 years, he has every chance of doing so — aside from the loss of smell and sight, the elder shows no signs of aging. Although the world around Jonathan is undergoing changes (it is even hard to imagine how many historical events he has witnessed), he himself remains largely unchanged.
Jonathan still has a great appetite — he loves cabbage, cucumbers, carrots, lettuce, apples, and various seasonal fruits, especially bananas, although they sometimes stick to his mouth. According to Joe, a typical day for Jonathan passes at a calm and relaxed pace. He enjoys sunny days but prefers to stay in the shade when it gets hot. When the temperature is not too high, the elder takes sunbaths, stretching his long legs and neck out from under his shell to warm up properly. In the winter cold, Jonathan burrows into piles of fallen leaves or hay and spends whole days like that.
Jonathan is currently accompanied by three other Seychelles giant tortoises — David and Emma, who are about 55 years old, and 32-year-old Frederick. According to Joe, despite his venerable age, Jonathan still has a good libido and regularly tries to mate with Emma and Frederick, who was originally thought to be female and was named Frederica.
