1. Write a brief overall summary of your findings.
The claim that Jonathan, the worlds oldest tortoise has died is false. Many sources, including a CNN article found that he is still alive and well. This rumor has been found to be a scam, created by one of his previous caretakers.
2. What primary sources did you find (e.g., transcripts, videos of politician speeches, tweets from public figures, scientific studies)? For each source, write at least one or two sentences explaining what you learned. Include all links.
USA Today, BBC, and this article from CNN have found that Jonathan is still alive and well. Saint Helena Government is also in direct contact with Jonathan, being responsible for his care, they, claim that he is alive.
3. What secondary sources did you find (e.g., newspapers, magazines)? Only use secondary sources if sufficient primary sources are not available. For each source, write at least one or two sentences explaining what you learned. Include all links.
In an article by the Guardian, it is found that this is a crypto death scam. He is still alive and is known as the worlds oldest known land animal. In an article by BBC, they found the death is a hoax. An account on X, Joe Hollins who was previously a vet for Jonathan said he was heartbroken to share the passing of Jonathan.
4. What potential biases or interests might each of your sources have?
Saint Helena government is the site who is most reliable source when it comes ot Jonathan because they care for him. Saint Helena Government is the most direct source to get information on Jonathan because of that.
A bias I think each source could show is selection bias, choosing what information to cover about the claim of Jonathan dying. A lot of resources in the internet for this topic are secondary, even though a lot of the news sources are known to be trustworthy.
5. What evidence supports the claim you are fact-checking?
The fact he lived through two world wars and has experienced 40 U.S. Presidents. It is also found that he is in a same-sex relationship with another male tortoise named Fredrick.
6. What evidence undermines the claim you are fact-checking?
First I find if a source claims if Jonathan died or not. I compare a majority of my findings to Saint Helena Government because they are in direct contact with Jonathan.
7. What happened when you tried contacting the person or group who made the original claim? (Always try to contact them—it’s okay if you don’t get a reply. For example, if the claim is that the president said something, try reaching out to the administration. If it was a Bluesky user, message that user on Bluesky.)
The account did not reach out in return.
