01/10/2024
On New Year’s Day, Joe Hollins celebrated his ancient buddy, Jonathan the tortoise, the world’s oldest living land animal. Jonathan is now 191 years old — or so.
“He could actually be older,” said Hollins, 66, explaining that Jonathan’s age is a conservative estimate.
Hollins is a veterinarian who has cared for the elderly tortoise and three other land tortoises on St. Helena Island since 2009.
Last year, St. Helena’s governor, Nigel Phillips, gave Jonathan an unofficial hatch date of Dec. 4, 1832, but Hollins still celebrates on New Year’s Day. https://wapo.st/48EwR3Y
