At 190, Jonathan lumbers into history

HE was born not long after Napoleon died, and is now officially the planet’s oldest known living land animal.

Jonathan the Seychelles Giant Tortoise is celebrating his 190th birthday – more or less – on St Helena in the remote South Atlantic, where the defeated French emperor died in exile in 1821.

Based on shell measurements, it is believed Jonathan was hatched around 1832 and brought to St Helena from the Seychelles 50 years later.

He lives out his retirement in Plantation House, the official residence of the St Helena governor, where his birthday is being marked with events including the issue of a special stamp. The celebration climaxes tomorrow with a ‘birthday cake’ made out of Jonathan’s favourite foods, which include carrots, lettuce, cucumber and apples.

He is also partial to the companionship of a female tortoise called Emma, who is only in her 50s. ‘He still enjoys the ladies,’ former governor Lisa Phillips has said. Joe Hollins, a retired vet who is Jonathan’s main carer, said: ‘When you think, if he was hatched in 1832 – my goodness, the changes... The world wars, the rise and fall of the British Empire... And he’s just been here, enjoying himself.’