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

The world's oldest onshore animal, Jonathan the tortoise, is inactive live aft a viral hoax falsely claimed he'd died.

The disorder began aft a station connected X falsely claimed the elephantine tortoise had died astatine property 193. 

The account, which impersonated Jonathan’s veterinarian, Joe Hollins, rapidly gained traction and sparked interest among fans astir the world. That claim, however, was not true.

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"Yes, he's inactive alive," the X idiosyncratic wrote hours later. "This was conscionable an April Fools' prank."

The existent Joe Hollins besides stepped successful to respond.

Jonathan, shown here, is inactive live contempt a viral mendacious assertion connected X that helium had died. (Gianluigi Guercia/AFP via Getty Images)

"Jonathan the tortoise is precise overmuch alive," his veterinarian, Joe Hollins, told USA Today. 

He added that the fake relationship appeared to beryllium portion of a scam — and was adjacent attempting to cod cryptocurrency donations.

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Experts who person studied the carnal besides confirmed the reports were false.

Jonathan, a Seychelles elephantine tortoise, continues to unrecorded connected the land of St. Helena, a distant British territory successful the South Atlantic Ocean wherever helium has spent astir of his life, according to St. Helena's authorities website.

Jonathan inactive lives connected the distant South Atlantic land of St. Helena, wherever helium has spent astir his full life. (iStock)

Jonathan is believed to person been calved astir 1832. 

He was already considered an big erstwhile helium arrived connected St. Helena successful 1882, meaning helium has lived done astir 2 centuries of history.

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Today, helium holds the rubric of the world’s oldest surviving onshore animal, the land said.

He lives connected the grounds of Plantation House, the authoritative residence of the island’s governor, wherever helium has go thing of a section celebrity.

Jonathan is presently the world’s oldest surviving onshore animal. (iStock)

His nonstop birthdate remains unknown. 

In 2022, officials assigned him an authoritative day of Dec. 4, the land said.

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Despite his age, Jonathan continues to defy expectations, outliving generations and remaining a awesome of longevity connected the land helium calls home.

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Fox News Digital reached retired to Joe Hollins and St. Helena's authorities for comment.