Jonathan the tortoise’s carers mock viral death hoax as he’s back meeting tourists

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Jonathan, the world’s oldest tortoise, is alive and well, and his caretakers are playfully dismissing recent online rumors claiming he had passed away. He’s even back to greeting visitors!

The internet can be risky, but things get especially tricky on April 1st, April Fool’s Day. This year, a post claiming the world’s oldest tortoise, 194-year-old Jonathan, had died went viral on social media. The post falsely claimed to be from Jonathan’s vet, Joe Hollins.

We’re deeply saddened to announce the passing of Jonathan, the world’s oldest land animal, who died peacefully today on St. Helena. Thought to be over 193 years old, this kind giant lived through incredible changes, outlasting entire empires, wars, and many generations of people.

The post spread rapidly online, but it turned out to be a fake created by an account trying to collect cryptocurrency donations.

Jonathan, the world’s oldest tortoise at 193 years old, recently became an internet sensation when someone falsely claimed he had died. It turned out the announcement was made by a scammer pretending to be his veterinarian, likely as part of a cryptocurrency scheme.

— TopMob (@TopMob) April 1, 2026

World’s oldest tortoise is still alive despite hoax

I was so relieved to hear that Jonathan the tortoise is still with us! And get this – he’s even back to greeting visitors on St Helena island. It’s amazing!

In a video released on April 2nd, the St Helena Governor’s Office announced that Jonathan, the famous tortoise, is alive and well and has been enjoying bananas.

“He has just interacted with a lovely group of tourists, so today is a happy day.”

I just saw the cutest update! Jonathan, the world’s oldest tortoise, is doing great and actually got to enjoy some bananas today on St. Helena! It’s so heartwarming to see him thriving. 🐢🍌 Huge thanks to @sthelenatourism and @GO_ASHT for sharing the adorable video!

— Guinness World Records (@GWR) April 2, 2026

I was so relieved to hear from Nigel Phillips, the governor of St Helena! He told The Guardian that Jonathan the tortoise is actually doing great – totally alive and well! He even showed them a picture of Jonathan chilling next to an iPad showing the BBC News website, just to prove everyone the rumors about him being gone were completely false. It was such a scare when that hoax started going around!

Jonathan spends most of his time eating grass. Once a week, he’s given fruits, vegetables, and salad to make sure he gets all the nutrients he needs. He especially loves sweet things! While people sometimes come to see him, these visits are carefully controlled to avoid upsetting the animals, according to Phillips.

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2026-04-03 15:19