Jonathan is the oldest known living terrestrial animal in the world. He came to life in 1832 and is currently 187 years old. He has lived through WW1 and WW2, the Russian Revolution, seven monarchs on the British throne, and 39 US presidents.

What is Jonathan’s favorite food? Have his tastes changed as he ages?

Some 10 years ago, improvements were made to Jonathan’s habitat and it was noticed that he [was having problems feeding]. His beak was blunt so that he struggled to scythe the grass (other tortoises have finely grooved beaks resulting in a serrated edge that cuts grass), and he would often try to graze on areas of leaf mold or dirt. His sense of smell seems to be non-existent.

We introduced once-weekly feeding of good calorific food and this has transformed him, demonstrating probable micro-deficiencies of vitamins, minerals and trace elements. He loves banana, but it tends to gum up his mouth. Lettuce hearts, though not very nutritious, are a favorite. He also greatly enjoys cabbage, cucumber, apple, other seasonal fruits, carrots – a good source of dietary fiber that he loves – and any other offerings from Plantation, which provides feed from the kitchens.

Nothing is fed to excess but in moderation and in a balanced mixture. Since doing this, his beak has regained an edge and he is able to graze once more. Jonathan has resided on the remote island of St Helena in the South Atlantic since 1882.

Friends of Forks Animals

I have a great soul recipe....