Verified: April 2, 2026. Jonathan the tortoise is alive. Reports of his death were based on a fraudulent social media post that also solicited cryptocurrency donations.
Jonathan at Plantation House, St Helena — his home since 1882. Photo: St Helena Government / Plantation House Archives
The World’s Oldest Tortoise Is Still Alive — A Crypto Scam Said Otherwise
A fake X account impersonating Jonathan’s vet triggered global false-death reports and solicited cryptocurrency donations. Here’s the verified account of what happened on April 1, 2026.
At an estimated 194 years old, Jonathan the tortoise holds the Guinness World Record as the oldest known living land animal. He was born around 1832 — five years before Queen Victoria ascended to the throne — and was already several decades old by the late 19th century. On April 1, 2026, he became the target of a cryptocurrency scam — one that briefly convinced multiple international broadcasters that he had died.
A fraudulent account on X (formerly Twitter) impersonated Joe Hollins, the British veterinarian who has cared for Jonathan for many years at Plantation House. The fake post stated that Jonathan had “passed away peacefully on Saint Helena” and accumulated over 2 million views. The BBC, Daily Mail, and USA Today all published reports based on the post before later issuing corrections. While those reports circulated, the impostor account was actively soliciting cryptocurrency donations.
The real Joe Hollins, who does not maintain a personal X account, confirmed to journalists: “Jonathan the tortoise is very much alive. I believe on X the person purporting to be me is asking for crypto donations, so it’s not even an April Fool joke. It’s a con.”
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How the Hoax Unfolded — Step by Step
A Fake Account Breaks “News”
On April 1, 2026, an account on X presented itself as belonging to Joe Hollins, the veterinarian who has cared for Jonathan at Plantation House. The account published a post claiming Jonathan had died “peacefully.” The post used an emotional, first-person voice to maximise credibility — and avoid immediate suspicion as an April Fools’ joke.
Major Outlets Publish — Then Retract
The post accumulated over 2 million views within hours. The BBC, Daily Mail, and USA Today all published reports based on the post before later issuing corrections. The BBC — the UK’s national broadcaster — was among the first to retract its report after being informed by Saint Helena officials that Jonathan was alive.
Cryptocurrency Donations Solicited
While media coverage of Jonathan’s false death spread globally, the impostor account was simultaneously soliciting cryptocurrency donations — ostensibly for a memorial fund. The real Joe Hollins confirmed this when contacted: “I believe on X the person purporting to be me is asking for crypto donations, so it’s not even an April Fool joke. It’s a con.”
American Spelling Gave It Away
The real Joe Hollins, a British vet, explicitly cited the use of American English spelling in the fake post — “honored” instead of the British “honoured” — as the primary indicator that the account was fraudulent. Saint Helena follows British spelling conventions, and Hollins said the Americanised phrasing immediately identified the post as an impostor.
Jonathan Photographed with the BBC’s Homepage
Governor Nigel Phillips had been receiving anxious messages from across the island. He went to the paddock, confirmed Jonathan was asleep under a tree, and issued a statement: “The report of my death was an exaggeration” — quoting Mark Twain on Jonathan’s behalf. The next morning, his team photographed Jonathan next to an iPad displaying the BBC’s homepage — a real-time, visual proof of life for a reptile born in the 1830s.
Side-by-Side
What the Fake Post Said vs. What Officials Confirmed
- Claimed Jonathan had “passed away peacefully” on April 1, 2026
- Written in first-person as if by vet Joe Hollins
- Used American English spelling — “honored” not “honoured”
- Account traced to a user in Brazil, not Saint Helena
- Solicited cryptocurrency donations while news spread
- Real Joe Hollins does not maintain an X account
- Governor Nigel Phillips personally checked the paddock — Jonathan was asleep under a tree
- The real Joe Hollins confirmed: “Jonathan the tortoise is very much alive”
- Jonathan photographed beside an iPad showing the BBC’s homepage as proof of life
- Guinness World Records confirmed his 2026 status as the oldest known living land animal
- Saint Helena Government: all official news on Jonathan will only come from official channels
- As of April 2, 2026 — Jonathan is in good health with a strong appetite
“The report of my death was an exaggeration.”— Governor Nigel Phillips, quoting Mark Twain on Jonathan’s behalf, April 2, 2026
194 Years of Verified History
Who Is Jonathan, Really?
Context
Why This Incident Goes Beyond One Tortoise
Jonathan is not just an animal record. He is a documented part of Saint Helena’s national identity, featured on official coins and stamps, and as recently as January 2026, printed on new St Helena polymer banknotes alongside King Charles III. The island’s approximately 4,440 residents, according to local accounts, are genuinely dreading the day the news becomes true.
The speed with which the false report spread — from a single account traced to Brazil to global broadcast coverage within hours — points to a broader pattern of how unverified claims gain traction before official confirmation intervenes. The scam combined an emotionally resonant subject, a high-profile date (April 1), and a financial solicitation — a structure that appears in other wildlife-related misinformation cases. For context on how viral misinformation affects conservation narratives, see KarmActive’s coverage on wildlife trade and media framing.
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Jonathan’s 194-Year Timeline
From the Seychelles to Saint Helena — a verified sequence of documented events.
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c. 1832Born in the SeychellesA Seychelles giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa). His exact birth year is unknown — the estimate is based on his being fully mature when he arrived in St Helena in 1882.
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1882Arrived at Plantation House, Saint HelenaTransported as a gift to Governor William Grey-Wilson. He was approximately 50 years old — already older than most humans live to be.
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1947Photographed with the British Royal FamilyKing George VI, Princess Elizabeth (the future Queen), Princess Margaret, and the Queen Mother visited Saint Helena. Jonathan was present and photographed on the grounds of Plantation House.
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1969Companions Emma and David arrive from the SeychellesAccording to a 1969 newspaper report, Jonathan had been disrupting croquet games by sitting on the balls and upending benches at Plantation House. Governor Dermod Murphy requested companions from Mahé in the Seychelles — Emma and David were sent to keep him company.
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1991Fredrik arrives at Plantation HousePresented by Michel Dancoisne-Martineau, the French Consul, at eight weeks old. Originally thought to be female and named Frederika, Fredrik was later confirmed to be male.
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2020DNA swabs collected for cancer research at Vanderbilt Medical CentreVet Joe Hollins collected 10 DNA swabs from Jonathan to be sent to Vanderbilt Medical Centre researchers studying why giant tortoise cells do not mutate the way human cells do — with implications for cancer research.
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Jan 2026Featured on new St Helena polymer banknotesThe Saint Helena Government issued new polymer banknotes (£5, £10, £20) featuring Jonathan alongside King Charles III and the St Helena ebony — confirming his continued role as an official national symbol.
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Apr 1, 2026Crypto scam — fake death post goes viralA fraudulent X account impersonating vet Joe Hollins declared Jonathan dead and solicited crypto donations. The BBC, Daily Mail, and USA Today published and later corrected the false reports.
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Apr 2, 2026Jonathan confirmed alive — photographed with BBC homepageGovernor Nigel Phillips issued a Mark Twain quote on Jonathan’s behalf. The government photographed Jonathan alongside an iPad showing the BBC home page. Saint Helena confirmed all future updates will only come from official government channels.
Verified Facts
Jonathan at a Glance
FAQ
Questions People Are Asking
Jonathan’s exact age is an estimate. A photograph taken shortly after 1882 shows him fully grown upon his arrival at Saint Helena. Experts determine that giant tortoises reach full maturity at around 50 years old, which places his birth at approximately 1832 — making him around 194 years old in 2026. Guinness World Records lists this estimate as his official age.
Joe Hollins is the veterinarian who has provided Jonathan’s long-term care at Plantation House. He does not maintain a personal X account. When the fake post was published, Hollins confirmed directly to journalists: “Jonathan the tortoise is very much alive.” He noted that the impostor was soliciting crypto donations and called the incident “a con.” He also pointed to the American English spelling in the fake post as a key indicator of fraud.
Operation Go Slow is the official Saint Helena Government protocol for Jonathan’s eventual passing. As confirmed by Joe Hollins in a 2019 Guinness World Records interview: “Like any celebrity we have made advance plans for his demise.” These plans include a pre-written formal obituary, a national day of mourning, the preservation of his shell for educational and historical purposes, and a permanent memorial statue at Plantation House.
The BBC, Daily Mail, and USA Today all published reports based on the fake X post before later issuing corrections. The post’s emotional, first-person voice and high view count lent it surface credibility. Following the retractions, the Saint Helena Government announced that all authentic news regarding Jonathan will only be released through official government channels going forward.
Yes. Jonathan appears on the reverse of Saint Helena’s 5p coin. In January 2026, the Saint Helena Government issued new polymer banknotes (£5, £10, £20) featuring Jonathan alongside King Charles III and the St Helena ebony. He is also featured on official stamp issues.
Closure
What Was Covered
The events of early April 2026 involved a fraudulent social media campaign that used the identity of a veterinarian to spread false claims about the death of Jonathan the tortoise. These reports were initially amplified by several international news organizations before being corrected by the Governor of Saint Helena and the tortoise’s actual medical caretaker.
The incident involved the solicitation of digital currency under false pretenses while Jonathan remained healthy in his enclosure at Plantation House. Documentation provided by local officials confirmed the tortoise’s continued wellbeing and his status as the world’s oldest living land animal. The verified timeline runs from his arrival at Saint Helena in 1882 to the current 2026 Guinness World Records listing. Jonathan remains alive. More updates on tortoise longevity and wildlife conservation are available on KarmActive.
