A giant Seychelles tortoise, believed to be the world’s oldest living land animal, is alive and well after claims he had died turned out to be part of an alleged crypto scam.
Posts emerged on Wednesday claiming Jonathan, who is thought to be 193 years old according to the official website devoted to him, was dead.
Reports of his demise were posted on X by the account @JoeHollinsVet, named after Joe Hollins, a vet who has taken care of Jonathan and previously spoken of his experiences.
The message read that he was “heartbroken” to announce that the “beloved” creature “has passed away today peacefully”.
Describing himself as Jonathan’s “vet for many years”, he said: “Rest easy, old friend. You’ll be missed more than words can say” and later thanked people “for the outpouring of love for Jonathan as we mourn his passing”.
But the Friends of the British Overseas Territories, quoting the island’s governor, Nigel Phillips, said “the real Joe Hollins does not have an X account, and that Jonathan the tortoise is alive. This account is soliciting crypto donations, has recently changed its username”.
Mr Phillips “has confirmed Jonathan Tortoise is alive and well – he has just checked on him”, he added.
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In a post on Facebook, Mr Hollins commented on a screen grab of the X post, saying it was “a hoax” and “not even an April Fool”.
He wrote that: “IT IS NOT TRUE. The hoaxer is asking for crypto donations. It’s a con. Please forward guys because this has spread. Even our researcher friends in the US unravelling his DNA have just sent condolences.”
There was a good deal of negative reaction to the original X post, with one commenter calling it a “nice prank, you scam artist”, while another said “he’s alive, you plonker”, and a third simply told the account it had been “BUSTED”.
– Eight British monarchs, from William IV to Charles III
– Industrialisation, the end of the agriculture-dominated society and urbanisation
– Two world wars and hundreds of smaller conflicts, with more than 40 between 1832 and 1840 alone
– The French Revolution of 1789, the collapse of feudal society, the abolition of slavery and the growth of democracy
– Scientific advances including space travel, motor vehicles, planes and cures for previously deadly illnesses
– Cultural developments such as films, sports, mass publishing and the digital age
Jonathan, who lives on the island of St Helena in the South Atlantic, “is believed to be the world’s oldest living land animal”, the website says, while admitting “we don’t actually know his exact age”.
His home is in the grounds of Plantation House, the residence of the Governor of St Helena, an exclusive address he shares with three other giant tortoises, named Emma, David and Fredrik.
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The website says it is “generally accepted” is one of three giant tortoises brought to the island in the 18th and 19th centuries and was named in the 1930s.
St Helena was discovered by Portugal in 1502, before being claimed by Britain after they arrived on the island in 1659. It has remained British ever since.
