Jonathan the Tortoise: World’s oldest living land animal celebrates 191st birthday

The world’s oldest living land animal - a Seychelles giant tortoise named Jonathan - has just celebrated his 191st birthday.

Jonathan’s estimated 1832 birth year predates the invention of the postal stamp, the telephone, and the photograph.

The iconic creature lived through the US civil war, most of the reign of Queen Victoria, the rise and fall of the Soviet Union, and two world wars.

But the giant tortoise - who has lived on the island of Saint Helena since 1882 - has taken it all in his stride.

He’s even found time for romance, developing a 26 year partnership with a fellow male tortoise.

Jonathan is not only the world’s oldest living land animal, but he is the oldest chelonian - a type of reptile class including tortoises, turtles, and terrapins - ever recorded.

In St Helena, he is a national treasure, featuring on the reverse of the local five pence coin.

Now blind and without a sense of smell, he spends his days roaming free in the grounds of the Governor’s house.

“Jonathan is in good health and all the indications at present make us hopeful that he will reach his third century - if indeed he hasn’t done so already!” his vet Joe Hollins told the Guinness World Records.

His age is an estimate, based on the fact that he was fully mature (and hence at least 50) when he arrived on the island in 1882.

“People often ask us for the date of Jonathan’s birthday. The answer is we don’t know,” the St Helena Island website reads.

“[But] there is precedent for this arbitrary assignment of a celebration date. Christians commemorate the birthday of Jesus on 25 December, but there is nothing to suggest that this is his actual birthday.”

Age is no barrier to living a full life - and amorous 191 year old Jonathon the Tortoise is living proof.