SearchAt the age of 183, Jonathan the Tortoise is the oldest living animal in the world.
Since 1882, he has lived on St. Helena, a remote island in the south Atlantic, in the grounds of Plantation House, the home of the governor of the island. St. Helena is most famous as the place Napoleon was exiled to by the British. Napoleon died on this island.
A serious decline in Jonathan’s health was discovered by Dr. Joe Hollins, the island’s vet. Cataracts were causing Jonathan to go blind and he was not able to forage for the right kind of food. The vet’s prescription was a change in diet to more nutritious foods such as apples, bananas, lettuce, guava and carrots. This has turned Jonathan’s health around and he is happier and healthier and could possibly live to be 200.
Vet Dr. Joe Hollins feeding Jonathan.
Jonathan is a Seychelles giant tortoise and was given to the governor of St. Helena in the late 19th century. It is thought that he would have been around 50 years old when he arrived. This picture was taken in 1900.
