January 8, 2016
Jonathan is 183 years old and holds the title of “world’s oldest living animal.” The giant tortoise was also just put on a diet.
Originally from the Seychelles, Jonathan was moved to St. Helena Island in 1882. He’s been living there ever since and recently experienced some health issues, including loss of eyesight and sense of smell. It was feared that Jonathan would die.
“Jonathan has become almost completely blind due to cataracts and has lost his sense of smell. He was just grabbing at food and ended up chomping on twigs which blunted his beak. He lost weight because of his nutritional deficiencies,” St. Helena Island veterinarian Joe Hollins told Daily Mail. “I changed his diet and started to give him a mixed bowl of fruit and vegetables like apples, carrots, lettuce, guavas and bananas which are very high in calories. Since then his life has been transformed. He has put on weight and is a lot more active and is walking more than he used to. He has more fat cover which will help him in the winter and has good nail growth. The life expectancy of a giant tortoise is 150 but there is no reason why Jonathan won’t still be here after we have all gone.”
According to Epoch Times, Jonathan’s beak has regained its sharpness.
