If there is a party animal at large this weekend, Jonathan is it: the Seychelles giant tortoise is about to celebrate his 190th birthday with a three-day bash.

Living on Saint Helena since 1882, when he arrived as a gift to the governor of the small south Atlantic island, he is no stranger to fame, having scooped awards from the Guinness World Records for being the oldest known living land animal and the oldest chelonian – an order comprising tortoises, turtles and terrapins – ever recorded.

He has also been at the heart of romantic intrigue: after a period of irritability, Jonathan was presented with a mate in 1991 with whom he happily developed an intimate relationship. But 26 years later the lack of offspring was explained when his amorous partner – Frederica – turned out, upon inspection, to be a male.

Jonathan is also something of a local celebrity: as well as being a famous attraction he has featured on the reverse of the local five-pence coin