Watch the moment 43 giant tortoises are released in the Galapagos Islands 0:49
(CNN) --
When the giant tortoise Jonathan was born, Queen Victoria was just a teenager.
The British monarch died more than 120 years ago, at 81, and Jonathan is still walking around the planet Earth.
Perhaps the most famous resident of Saint Helena, one of the most remote islands in the world, Jonathan is celebrating his 190th birthday this year, making him the oldest tortoise to ever live.
According to Guinness World Records, Jonathan is the oldest turtle, a category that encompasses all turtles, terrapins, and tortoises.
It is believed that he was born around 1832 and was a gift to Sir William Grey-Wilson, who later became Governor, who came to Saint Helena from the Seychelles in 1882. Another 31 Governors came and went in the decades that followed.
In truth, Jonathan could even be 200 years old as no one knows his exact age, according to Matt Joshua, head of tourism on St. Helena.
advertising
He told CNN: "Jonathan could actually be 200 years old because the information about his arrival on the island is not accurate and because there is no actual record of his birth."
Credit: Mathias Falcone
Further evidence of his age emerged when an old photograph taken between 1882 and 1886 was discovered. In it, an adult Jonathan can be seen grazing in the garden of Plantation House, the residence of the governor of St. Helena, where he has spent most of his life. part of your life.
The oldest previous chelonian was Tu'i Malila, a radiated tortoise that lived at least 188 years.
Presented to the royal family of Tonga by the British explorer Captain James Cook around 1777, Tu'i Malila died in 1965.
The world may have changed tremendously, but Jonathan's life is still about eating, sleeping, and mating.
Credit: Mathias Falcone
Since Jonathan was born, the world has changed tremendously: the first photograph of a person was taken in 1838, the incandescent light bulb was invented in 1878, the first powered flight took to the skies in 1903, and in 1969 Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first people to walk on the Moon.
Not to mention two world wars and the advent of the internet.
However, Jonathan's world has changed little in nearly two centuries: his main interests remain sleeping, eating, and mating.
good libido
He is hand-fed as old age has left him blind and without a sense of smell, so he is unaware of food if it is simply placed on the ground.
However, his hearing is excellent and he responds well to the sound of his vet's voice, according to the Guinness World Records (GWR).
His vet, Joe Hollins, told GWR that despite some of his senses now failing, Jonathan still has a lot of energy, although this varies depending on the weather.
"On warm days, it basks in the sun: its long neck and legs stretch completely out of its shell to absorb heat and transfer it to its core," he said.
This photo was taken shortly after Jonathan arrived on the island, by which time he was at least 50 years old.
In cooler times, it prefers to "bury itself in leaf mold or grass clippings and stay there all day."
He lives together with three other giant tortoises, David, Emma and Fred.
Jonathan's favorite foods include cabbage, cucumber, carrot, apple, and other seasonal fruits.
Hollins added, "Despite his age, Jonathan still has a good libido and is frequently seen mating with Emma and sometimes Fred. Animals are often not particularly gender sensitive!"
Jonathan has seen governors and royalty come and go during his long life.
Here she is with the Queen and her family as a young woman.
The ancient animal is something of a celebrity on the island, located in the South Atlantic.
Joshua said: "There are generations and generations of people from Santa Elena, also known as saints, who have pictures of Grandma with him as a child. He is very loved and people take care of him."
Island officials are currently working on Jonathan's birthday celebrations, which are planned for later this year.
A series of commemorative stamps will be issued and whoever visits him this year will receive a certificate with the first known photograph of his footprint.