Hoax Death of World's Oldest Tortoise Debunked

On April 1, 2026, reports of the death of Jonathan, the world's oldest known land animal, spread rapidly across social media and into major news outlets, only to be swiftly debunked as a hoax originating from a fake online account. The Seychelles giant tortoise, estimated to be 193 years old and residing on the remote South Atlantic island of St. Helena, was confirmed alive and well by his longtime veterinarian and local officials.

The misinformation began with a post on X, formerly Twitter, from an account impersonating Joe Hollins, Jonathan's veterinarian. The message, written in emotional terms, claimed Jonathan had passed away peacefully that day at age 193. It described hand-feeding him bananas and marveling at his wisdom, while subtly soliciting cryptocurrency donations. The post garnered over two million views and was initially reported as fact by outlets including the BBC, USA Today, and the Daily Mail. However, the account was fraudulent; the real Hollins does not use X and quickly clarified the situation.

Hollins told reporters that Jonathan "is very much alive" and described the incident as a con rather than an April Fools' prank. "There is a hoax... saying Jonathan...