Former Bermuda Deputy Governor Mark Capes has a permanent VIP house guest in his new job as Governor of the remote UK South Atlantic Territories — a 182 year old tortoise that could be the oldest living land creature in the world.

Jonathan — who started life in the 1800s — is one of five giant tortoises who live in the grounds of Plantation House on St Helena, the official residence of the Governor of St Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha.

Mr Capes said that the tortoise — a rare breed originally from the Seychelles — “should be treated with the respect, attention and care he surely deserves”.

A photograph of Jonathan taken in 1882 shows him at adult size — which can take up to 50 years to reach.

The ancient giant has become a tourist attraction for those prepared to travel to St Helena — and, to avoid the tortoises being disturbed, the UK government has installed a viewing corridor along the bottom the grounds of Plantation House to keep sightseers at a distance.

The other four giant tortoises come from the Aldabra Atoll in the Indian Ocean, and there are thought to be around 100,000 living examples — but the Seychelles Giant is restricted to one small breeding population.

Joe Hollis, the only vet on St Helena, said: “He is virtually blind from cataracts, has no sense of smell, but his hearing is good.”

Jonathan — who has seen at least 33 Governors come and go — could live to 250 years old, but St Helena islanders have already drawn up a plan dubbed “Operation Go Slow” in the event of his death.

Islanders ruled out stuffing the turtle and opted to ensure his shell is preserved for display in St Helena and they are considering a fund-raising drive to create a life-size bronze statue to commemorate their oldest resident.

But how Jonathan arrived on St Helena, once a stop-off point for trading vessels of the East India Company, is a mystery, although it is thought that he may have come from a 17th century ship, which could contain hundreds of easily-stacked tortoises to provide fresh meat for their crews.

Mr Capes served under Governors Sir John Vereker and Sir Richard Gozney between 2006 and 2009 then spent two years as chief executive in troubled Turks and Caicos Islands before taking up the job of the string of South Atlantic islands, which have a total population of around 5600 people.

Ascension Island hit the headlines in 1982, when it became an important base for RAF bombers and a refuelling point for Royal Navy ships in a successful bid to eject invading Argentinian forces from the British territory of the Falkland Islands.