Jonathan outlives an empire as oldest living land animal

The world's oldest tortoise has lived through two world wars, witnessed the rise and fall of the British Empire and has just turned 190 years old.

Jonathan the Seychelles gianttortoisehatchedinthe Georgian era and is the oldest known living land animal on Earth and the oldest chelonian ever recorded.

Born in the early 1800s, Jonathan has lived on the British overseas territory of St Helena – an island situatedinthemiddleofthesouth Atlantic Ocean – since 1882.

Shell measurements documented from a photographtakenshortlyafterhis arrivalinsthelenashowhe wasfullymatureandatleast 50yearsoldwhenhearrived fromtheseychellesin1882– although it is likely that he is even older.

Joe Hollins, the retired St Helena's vet who still helps look after the tortoise, said: "As a vet, what greater privilege is there than to be looking after the oldest known living land animal in the world?

"It is such a privilege to be abletocareforthismagnificent animal."

Jonathan, the world's oldest tortoise, is pictured, below left, with another tortoise in St Helana in 1886 and, below right, with vet Joe Hollins who cares for him