Jonathan, the world's oldest tortoise, has died at 193 years old. He was gay and lived through 2 world wars.

Question

Jonathan, the world's oldest tortoise, has died at 193 years old

He was gay and lived through two world wars and 40 US presidents

Answer 1

According to my findings, it is a general consensus that Jonathan, the world's oldest turtle, is alive and well. Furthermore, it is suggested that this was a crypto scam, where a user on X was falsely claiming to be Joe Hollins, despite the fact that Hollins does not have an X account. This impersonator was asking for cryptocurrency donations after the false claim of Jonathan’s death.

My primary sources are CNN’s “World’s oldest known tortoise still very much alive and (slowly) kicking despite rumor to the contrary”, https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/03/world/oldest-tortoise-alive-despite-rumor-intl-hnk . 

As well as BBC “World's oldest known tortoise still alive, as reports of death revealed as hoax” https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c393xmpzjwko . 

Both CNN and the BBC reference information obtained from the government of St Helena. CNN based its report on an interview with Anne Dillon, the head of communications on the island, who spoke with the Associated Press. In contrast, the BBC reached out via email and received a response from Nigel Phillips, the governor of St Helena. Aside from these references to the government, both news sources contain identical quotes from the original misleading tweet and Facebook post by Joe Hollins.

The next point to fact-check is the claim that "He was gay and lived through two world wars and 40 U.S. presidents." Jonathan is estimated to have been born around 1832, which means he would have indeed lived through both world wars and the terms of 40 U.S. presidents. This statement is accurate based on the timeline.

As well as yes Johnathan is considered gay from human perspective as his long term partner for over 26 years, Frederic, who was originally thought to be a female and names Frederica until a medical examination in 2017 revealed his true gender. As well as Johnathan despite being there for over 144 years and has yet to sire a mate. 

The official St. Helena information page about Johnathan shows a sense of humor regarding the labeling of a tortoise as gay. They appear to take an amusement in responding to articles and discussions surrounding this topic. https://sainthelenaisland.info/jonathan.htm

 

Comments

Both CNN and the BBC reference information obtained from the government of St Helena. CNN i really like here how you show that the information obtained in CNN is from a government source where the tortise is living

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As well as yes Johnathan is considered gay from human perspective as his long term partner for over 26 years, Frederic.

i like this part of the response because he was right about some parts of the claim were technically correct but it is irrelevant because of its other underlying falseness

Answer 2

Think of this as your investigation log. Answer each question to explain what you discovered and how you got there.

according to my findings Jonathan the Tortise is still alive and well.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2026/04/01/jonathan-oldest-tortoise-dies-st-helena/89424376007/

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c393xmpzjwko

according to both USA today and BBC the Tortise is alive despite the news of its passing it is a hoax.

i have looked at multiple different sources that are very reliable and trusted news sources. BBC is one of the most well known news sources.

Answer 3

Think of this as your investigation log. Answer each question to explain what you discovered and how you got there.

1. Write a brief overall summary of your findings.

Everything is correct, but the claim that he has died is not supported by widely confirmed reports, as he has been described in recent reliable updates as still alive. The statement that he was “gay” is based on observed same-sex behavior, which does occur in animals, but it is a simplified interpretation rather than a precise scientific classification.
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.

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/jonathan-the-tortoise-death-hoax/?utm_source=chatgpt.com  - I learned that he is not gay but that's what the animals do how a lot of people say he is alive.

https://apnews.com/article/oldest-tortoise-death-hoax-jonathan-22e2960833b112c3b873e1ce4b089c20?utm_source=chatgpt.com - This article included statements from officials on Saint Helena confirming that Jonathan is “very much alive,” directly debunking the viral claim.

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.
4. What potential biases or interests might each of your sources have?

The first source is a fact check site where their whole job to prove someone wrong

5. What evidence supports the claim you are fact-checking?

The claim originates from a viral social media post (X/Twitter) purporting that Jonathan had died.
6. What evidence undermines the claim you are fact-checking?

Statements from Jonathan’s official caretakers and veterinarian confirm he is still alive.
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.)

They didn't respond