A fake X account posing as the vet of Jonathan, the world's oldest known land animal, falsely reported his death in a cryptocurrency scam. The post, which claimed the 194-year-old Seychelles giant tortoise had passed away, garnered 2 million views and was picked up by major news outlets including the BBC, Daily Mail and USA Today before being debunked.
The impostor, based in Brazil, solicited crypto donations under the guise of being Jonathan's vet, Joe Hollins. The real Hollins, who does not use X, confirmed the tortoise was alive and called the post a con. The BBC later retracted its report.
Jonathan resides on the grounds of the governor's mansion on Saint Helena, where he has lived since 1882. Governor Nigel Phillips, alerted by anxious messages, checked on the tortoise and found him asleep under a tree. Phillips joked that Jonathan issued a statement: 'The report of my death was an exaggeration.'
Despite being blind and lacking a sense of smell, Jonathan remains healthy with a strong appetite. The governor's team took a photo of him with an iPad showing the BBC homepage as proof of life. The hoax has upset the island community, where Jonathan is a local celebrity featured on the 5p coin.
Jonathan was given a double helping of bananas in celebration of his 'resurrection.' The real vet noted that the islanders dread his eventual death, adding: 'It makes one slightly nervous considering he's at least 194.'
