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World's oldest known land animal alive after viral death hoax fools thousands

03 Apr 2026 By foxnews

World's oldest known land animal alive after viral death hoax fools thousands

The world's oldest land animal, Jonathan the tortoise, is still alive after a viral hoax falsely claimed he'd died.

The confusion began after a post on X falsely claimed the giant tortoise had died at age 193.

The account, which impersonated Jonathan's veterinarian, Joe Hollins, quickly gained traction and sparked concern among fans around the world. That claim, however, was not true.

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"Yes, he's still alive," the X user wrote hours later. "This was just an April Fools' prank."

The real Joe Hollins also stepped in to respond.

"Jonathan the tortoise is very much alive," his veterinarian, Joe Hollins, told USA Today.

He added that the fake account appeared to be part of a scam - and was even attempting to collect cryptocurrency donations.

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Experts who have studied the animal also confirmed the reports were false.

Jonathan, a Seychelles giant tortoise, continues to live on the island of St. Helena, a remote British territory in the South Atlantic Ocean where he has spent most of his life, according to St. Helena's government website.

Jonathan is believed to have been born around 1832.

He was already considered an adult when he arrived on St. Helena in 1882, meaning he has lived through nearly two centuries of history.

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Today, he holds the title of the world's oldest living land animal, the island said.

He lives on the grounds of Plantation House, the official residence of the island's governor, where he has become something of a local celebrity.

His exact birthdate remains unknown.

In 2022, officials assigned him an official birthday of Dec. 4, the island said.

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Despite his age, Jonathan continues to defy expectations, outliving generations and remaining a symbol of longevity on the island he calls home.

Fox News Digital reached out to Joe Hollins and St. Helena's government for comment.

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