Imagine living to the age of 191. In 1833, 191 years ago, Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States, was sworn in for his second term (we’re now up to the 46th). Dubai was given independence from the United Kingdom and was founded as a city. Speaking of the British, that was the year that the Slavery Abolition Act was passed and slaves started to be given freedom across the empire. And Alfred, Lord Tennyson, wrote the seminal work of literature that has plagued students ever since (Ulysses) that year as well.
And Jonathan the Tortoise was born.
There’s a truly fascinating profile of this incredible, ancient animal up on The Washington Post. Jonathan is a native of St Helena Island – one of the most remote and isolated places on earth, and was very fortunate that conservationist, Joe Hollins, has come to look after him, because he very nearly didn’t survive to this incredible age.
As the Washington Post article noted: “When Hollins arrived on the island more than 14 years ago, he said Jonathan was in poor health with cataracts, a crumbly beak and a thin reptilian hide.”
What saved him? Fresh fruit and vegetables. Yes, the same kinds of foods that you find in your Good & Fugly box each week.
The nutrition provided by the fresh fruit and vegetables, supplemented by the calories that Jonathan has been getting from grass and hay, has meant that the tortoise’s sharp beak grew back and his health improved rapidly from there.
Now Jonathan has become one of St Helena’s most celebrated residents and one of its biggest drawcards. For those who don’t know where St. Helena is – the closest port (and best way of reaching the island) is in South Africa, about 3,330 kilometres away. Until 2017 the only way to get there was via a lengthy ferry with one of the resupply ships that travelled from South Africa.
Now there is an airport – St. Helena Airport – and so the island colony is just a six-hour flight away. Unfortunately, those flights only occur every fortnight, and St. Helena Airport has some notoriously difficult weather that can make flights difficult, so it’s still not the most convenient tourism destination.
Despite these difficulties, some 1,500 tourists do visit the island each year, and Jonathan is right up there with the final resting place of Napoleon Bonaparte (yes, the one Joaquin Phoenix played) at the top of the “to do” lists. He’s even engraved on the St. Helena 5 pence piece, making it much more valuable as a quirky souvenir than a piece of currency.
A Great Reminder To Eat Your Veggies
We might not be able to live to 191, even if we live the most perfect, healthy life we can. But the near miracle of Jonathan being able to bounce back from being in a very sorry state simply by eating better and getting more fresh fruit and vegetables into his diet highlights just how much of an impact eating good, fresh and wholesome produce really is.
Why not give the “Jonathan diet” a go yourself (you don’t have to eat the grass, just go big on the fruit and vegetables)? Treat yourself to a box of Good & Fugly, and see if you start to feel better yourself.
