St. Helena - Few animals are as unusual and as extraordinary as the giant tortoise, which is capable of living well over a hundred years. Yet, even among his kin, Jonathan's age is truly ancient.

While the animal world record for the oldest animal in the world goes to a sea sponge thought to be around 10,000 years old, it is a non-sentient being that, quite honestly, is a pretty disappointing answer to the question.

As a result, it's time to talk about the oldest land animal in the world, a record held by a wonderful critter by the name of Jonathan – who's almost as big as he is old!

Jonathan is not only one of the most famous tortoises out there, but he's also a world record holder for being the oldest living land animal. At an estimated 191 years old, this giant creature has lived through the American Civil War, both World Wars, the rise and fall of the Soviet Empire, and so much more. Sadly, he has no idea about any of this... because he's a tortoise.

His age is actually a rather conservative estimate because while it is believed that Jonathan was born in 1832, his actual date of birth is unknown. What is certain, though, is that if his age is actually wrong, it is because he is older than we think he is. As a result, either way, he's the longest-living land animal in the world!

Giant tortoises have been known to live for an incredibly long time, with their average age generally sitting between 100 and 150 years. Unfortunately, this doesn't mean anything for their ability to survive as a species, as Jonathan is part of the Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa family, otherwise known as the Seychelles giant tortoise, which is on the verge of extinction.

Indeed, the Seychelles tortoise is a species only known to have a few hundred individuals left in the world. Until the mid-1990s, they were actually considered effectively extinct, largely due to sailors and settlers in the Seychelles (an archipelago of islands in the Indian Ocean) slaughtering thousands for their unique shells and other products.

As a result of his extraordinary record, which was presented to him by Guinness World Records, Jonathan is also considered the oldest turtle/chelonian ever recorded in history, a title he took from Tu'i Malila, who lived to be at least 188 before it died in 1965.

If Jonathan could talk and communicate, at 191 years of age, he would have some pretty insane stories to tell. Seeing as Queen Elizabeth II, who died aged 96 back in 2022, was born in 1926, this magnificent tortoise would have already been alive for at least 94 years when she was born.

Despite his extraordinary age, Jonathan's long-time veterinarian, Joe Hollins, told Guinness World Records that he is showing "no signs of slowing down." Sadly, though, he has mostly lost his sense of smell and is going blind from cataracts. Luckily, he still seems to be relatively happy.

"He is still being hand-fed once a week with a fortifying helping of fruit and vegetables by a small, dedicated team," Hollins explained. "This not only supplements his calories but provides those essential drivers of his metabolism: vitamins, minerals, and trace elements."

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Jonathan still lives on St. Helena, where he has presided since moving there more than 141 years ago and spends his time patrolling the grounds of St. Helena's Plantation House, the main residence of the territory's governor. He is an iconic animal, who attracts many tourists and makes friends wherever he goes.

"It is extraordinary to think that this gentle giant has outlived every other living creature on land, including of course the whole human race," Hollins said.