At 194 years old, Jonathan the giant tortoise was a youngster when Queen Victoria ascended to the throne — and has now lived long enough to fall victim to a crypto scam. News outlets including the BBC, Daily Mail, and USA Today falsely reported his death after an X account posing as Jonathan’s vet broke the news. The post claimed: “Heartbroken to share that our beloved Jonathan, the world’s oldest living land animal, has passed away today peacefully on Saint Helena. The real vet, who does not use X, said: “Jonathan the tortoise is very much alive. Jonathan, a Seychelles giant tortoise, is the world’s oldest known land animal.

Source: Irish Examiner April 02, 2026 16:51 UTC