The St Helena Giant Tortoises

There are four giant tortoises in the grounds of Plantation House, gifts to the island over many years, but by far the most famous is Jonathon. Such is his reputation, Jonathon features on the back of the St Helena five pence coin and the islanders threw a three day party for his 190th birthday (I guess any excuse will do in a small island community). He is officially the oldest living animal on the planet with an estimated age of 192. Estimated because when he was brought over from the Seychelles in 1882 as a gift he was known to be already mature and hence at least fifty years old. 

The grass in the grounds is apparently a type that is not too nutritious so the tortoises get additional waste scraps from the house. Tortoises have a keen sense of smell so putting the food down on the ground would normally suffice. Jonathon however is blind from cataracts, has lost his sense of smell and, although the biggest of the tortoises, would also be overturned by David, the most aggressive, in the competition to get at the food. Who knew giant tortoises were so forceful? As a result he gets fed by hand, an entertaining thing to witness as he is waving his head around knowing that food is there (apparently he recognises Emma's voice and knows there is food to be had) while Emma tries to guide his head with one hand and feed vegetable and fruit scraps into his mouth with the other. Good thick gloves are required too as these animals have a sharp beak.

Of the other two, there is a female, Emma (another reason for discourse between Jonathon and David) and then there is Fred. Fred used to be Frederica - and a constant companion to Jonathon - until some eight years ago when it was realised he had been incorrectly sexed, difficult in his case because of some deformity in his underside. Fred was originally brought to the island in a submarine by the French navy when he/she was Frederica so that the French Consul, who looks after that little piece of France here that is Napoleon’s house, could 'compete' with the presence of tortoises at Plantation House. He was later transferred to Plantation House to be amongst fellow tortoises. A girl/boy, French, constant companion to a 192 year old, there has to be a joke in there somewhere…