It will take more than an April Fools’ Day joke for Jonathan the tortoise to shuffle off this mortal coil.
The 193-year-old reptile, known as the world’s oldest living land animal, is still kicking despite social media posts claiming his demise spreading on April 1.
“It was a hoax,” Anne Dillon, head of communications for the island of St. Helena, where Jonathan resides, tells The Associated Press. “I can just assure you that he is very much alive.”
Rumors of Jonathan’s passing stemmed from a post purporting to be from veterinarian Joe Hollins. The real Hollins distanced himself the account, which he said pivoted to requests for cryptocurrency with its newfound virality.
We’d be alright if we ended April Fools’ Day and just made April 1 Jonathan the Tortoise Day.