World's Oldest Tortoise Is Fine, Despite April 1 Reports

Officials in St. Helena say reports of 193-year-old Jonathan's death were a hoax
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Apr 2, 2026 1:20 PM CDT
World's Oldest Tortoise Is Fine, Despite April 1 Reports
Tourists take photos of Jonathan on the lawn of Plantation House in Jamestown on the South Atlantic island of St. Helena, Feb. 22, 2024.   (AP Photo/Nicole Evatt, File)

Reports on April Fools' Day of the death of the world's oldest living land animal—a 193-year-old tortoise called Jonathan—were greatly exaggerated. "It was a hoax," Anne Dillon, head of communications on the island, told the AP on Thursday. "I can just assure you that he is very much alive." News of the Seychelles giant tortoise's demise spread rapidly on social media on Wednesday. An account on X, falsely claiming to be by Joe Hollins, a veterinarian who had worked with the reptile on the island in the south Atlantic Ocean between Africa and Brazil, said he was heartbroken to announce the death of the "gentle giant" that "outlived empires, wars, and generations of humans."

The post quickly accumulated nearly 2 million views through Thursday, mostly an outpouring of condolences. But Hollins later said on Facebook that he didn't even have an X account and something more sinister was afoot. "There is a hoax—not even an April Fool—going around," Hollins wrote. "The hoaxer is asking for crypto donations. It's a con." Nigel Phillips, the governor of St Helena, told the BBC: "To confirm—Jonathan is very much alive." The BBC says it, along with outlets including USA Today and the Daily Mail, "fell for a fake social media account" and published reports on Jonathan's death.

Jonathan lives on the grounds of the governor's mansion. Phillips tells the Guardian that he was getting for ready for Wednesday night when he started receiving messages about the tortoise. He says he searched the grounds and found Jonathan "asleep under a tree in the paddock." Guinness World Records lists Jonathan as the oldest living land animal and the oldest tortoise ever. He was believed to be about 50 years old when he was brought to St. Helena in 1882. The Guardian reports that to celebrate his "resurrection," he was given a double helping of bananas, his favorite snack, on Thursday.

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