Jonathan the Tortoise Death Rumors Are Fooling People Online

Jonathan the tortoise has the perfect opportunity to quote Mark Twain, after a viral death hoax had people believing that the beloved tortoise had passed away.

While Jonathan can't exactly tell the world that the reports of his death have been greatly exaggerated, the rest of us can absolutely spread the word now that it's been verified that the tortoise is still very much alive despite the rumors to the contrary. The happy news was confirmed by multiple people, including the turtle's vet.

However, the reason behind the nasty rumor, as well as the motivation for the post that started all of the drama, seems to have a sinister origin, highlighting how some people are trying to take advantage of the tortoise and those that have been caring for him.

Keep reading to learn more about the death hoax involving Jonathan the tortoise and the alarming reason his vet says someone posted a rumor about his death on social media to begin with.

USA Today reported that it was able to confirm that Jonathan was still alive after speaking with Joe Hollins, the vet charged with caring for the 193-year-old tortoise. "Jonathan the tortoise is very much alive," Hollins told the publication.

The news was also confirmed with Stephen Clark, the man who works with Kallel, a longevity research company that has studied the massive tortoise. While that's great news for Jonathan, it's not so great for Hollins, who says he was impersonated online.

He told USA Today that the X account on where the original claim was posted on April 1, 2026 was created by an imposter. "I believe on X the person purporting to be me is asking for crypto donations, so it’s not even an April Fool joke," he said. "It’s a con."

Hopefully the good news about Jonathan's health can spread as quickly as the lies did, especially considering how many people come out to share their sadness and grief after the fake news about the turtle's death had spread online.

If this is the first you're hearing about Jonathan, you may be wondering how he became so popular. Well, a lot of that has to do with his age, since he is believed to be the oldest land mammal known to man.

He was believed to have been born in 1832, according to Guinness World Records, which is based off of the details of his arrival to St. Helena, where he was brought when he was 50-years-old as a gift for the then governor. Jonathan has called the governor's residence home ever since.

And while his exact birthdate is unknown, he has been given the honorary birthday of Dec. 4, which is when St. Helena residents celebrate the tortoise's long life each year.

With the scam firmly in Jonathan's rearview, he will hopefully be able to celebrate in style this year as he rings in another year as the oldest living land animal and the oldest chelonian, two titles the tortoise has been awarded for his inspiring lifespan.