The Internet Said He Died. Then Asked for Crypto.
🐢 Except Jonathan the 194-year-old tortoise is still very much alive.
A viral post recently claimed the world’s oldest land animal had died peacefully — and then did something even stranger: it asked people to send cryptocurrency. Turns out, it was all fake.
The Scam That Fooled the Internet
Jonathan the tortoise — the legendary Seychelles giant tortoise believed to be about 194 years old — became the center of an unexpected online hoax after a fraudulent post appeared on X (formerly Twitter) claiming he had passed away.
The message was written as if it came from his longtime veterinarian, Joe Hollins, and even included a request for crypto donations. There was just one problem: The real vet doesn’t even use social media. Investigators later traced the account behind the post to Brazil, confirming it was part of a scam — but not before several major outlets briefly repeated the claim.Yes, even the BBC had to retract the story.
Jonathan Is Alive… and Still Acting Like Jonathan
Despite the internet declaring him gone, Jonathan is still living comfortably on the grounds of Plantation House on Saint Helena, where he’s spent generations becoming a global celebrity.
He may be blind from cataracts and has lost his sense of smell, but according to caretakers he’s otherwise doing well — and still enjoys:
- Bananas 🍌
- Sunbathing 🌞
- Hanging out with younger tortoises
- Attempting to mate with them (enthusiastically, apparently)
Not bad for someone born before the invention of the telephone.
If there’s a lesson here, it’s simple: If the internet says a 194-year-old tortoise just died and needs Bitcoin… maybe double-check first. Because Jonathan? Still here. Still legendary. Still hungry for bananas.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c393xmpzjwko
https://1063thefox.com/highlighted/cat-hides-from-vet-inside-a-recliner/