Jonathan, the oldest known living land animal. Saint Helena Government

At 192 years old, Jonathan the giant tortoise is the oldest known living land animal. A new study offers clues as to his incredible longevity.

Jonathan was born in the Seychelles in 1832, but since 1882, he has lived on the South Atlantic island of Saint Helena, where he resides at the home of its governor. Today, he is roughly a century older than most other Seychelles giant tortoises.

So why has Jonathan lived so long? An analysis of cheek scrapings has found that he is unusually blessed with good genes — not just genes that encode for good health, but genes that resist wear and tear.

Jonathan bears dozens of genetic variants that help him combat aging by curbing inflammation, regulating insulin, and warding off cancer.…