(UPI) The world's oldest living land animal, a tortoise named Jonathan, celebrated his 191st birthday on the island of St. Helena -- but he might be much older.
Jonathan's exact age is unknown, but he was at least 50 years old when he was brought to the island from the Seychelles in 1882, making him at least 191 years old, and possibly much older, Guinness World Records announced.
Jonathan is the world's oldest living land animal, as well as the oldest turtle/chelonian in recorded history.
He is a Seychelles giant tortoise, a species with an average lifespan of about 150 years.
"In spite of losing his sense of smell and being virtually blind from cataracts, his appetite remains keen," veterinarian Joe Hollins told GWR. He is still being hand-fed once a week with a fortifying helping of fruit and vegetables by a small, dedicated team. This not only supplements his calories but provides those essential drivers of his metabolism: vitamins, minerals, and trace elements.
Jonathan has lived at Plantation House, the residence of St. Helena's governor, for 141 years.
Copyright 2023 by United Press International
 
(UPI) Sergeant Giralde of Arizona's Mohave County Sheriff's Office was working a road construction detail on July 11 when a large bird was spotted under his patrol vehicle.
Construction workers alerted him to the ...Read More
(UPI) A Wayne County man and his wife are celebrating a major windfall after winning a share of a $697,974 Fantasy 5 jackpot from the Michigan Lottery.
David Constantakis, 68, and his wife were among three players who ...Read More
(UPI) Australian ultramarathoner Natalie Dau has set a new record for the fastest crossing of Peninsular Malaysia on foot.
Dau covered over 700 kilometers from Kelantan in the north to Johor Bahru in the south in eight ...Read More
(UPI) A young Matschie's tree kangaroo, an endangered species native to Papua New Guinea's Huon Peninsula, has started peering out of its mother's pouch at Zoo Miami.
This is an important milestone in the joey's early ...Read More
(UPI) In a stroke of luck that almost slipped away, a couple from South Carolina is now searching for their dream home thanks to a $200,000 win from the South Carolina Education Lottery.
The couple, who wished to remain ...Read More
(UPI) Chen Xiaoqing broke the record for most spins of a mobile phone on one finger in one minute. The resident of Fuzhou, Fujian, China, spun the phone 320 times on March 9.
The phone dropped a few times, but Chen ...Read More
Comments