Reports of the death of the world's oldest living land animal have turned out to be a "hoax" linked to cryptocurrency.
News that 193-year-old Jonathan the tortoise, who lives on the island of St Helena, had passed away circulated on social media yesterday (1 April).
An account on X (formerly Twitter) claiming to be that of Joe Hollins, a veterinarian who had worked with the reptile on the island west of Africa in the south Atlantic Ocean, said he was heartbroken to announce the death of the “gentle giant” that “outlived empires, wars, and generations of humans”.
The post quickly accumulated nearly two million views within 24 hours, mostly an outpouring of condolences.
"I am so sorry to hear this," one user wrote. "193 years is beyond a lifetime. He quietly watched generations come and go while just living his calm, gentile life on that island."
'It was a hoax'
However, Hollins later confirmed on Facebook that he doesn't even have an X account, and something more sinister was afoot.
"It was a hoax," says Anne Dillon, head of communications on the island. "I don’t have all those details, I can just assure you that he is very much alive."
Hollins also described the news as a "hoax" - not just an April Fool's prank. "The hoaxer is asking for crypto donations," he wrote. "It's a con."
Media outlets quickly changed their headline after realising the death was not true. The original post on X has now received a 'context note' warning that the account is soliciting crypto donations.
The world's oldest tortoise
Guinness World Records lists Jonathan, a Seychelles giant tortoise, as the oldest living land animal and the oldest tortoise ever. He was believed to be about 50 years old when he was brought to St Helena in 1882.
Dillon says the tortoise was still roaming the grounds of the governor’s residence on the island best known as the place Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled to following his defeat by the British at Waterloo in 1815.
Bonaparte died there in 1821, about a decade before Jonathan is believed to have taken the first steps in what would become a very long life.
