Solana Meme Coin Linked to Death Hoax for 194-Year-Old Tortoise—Who Is Very Much Alive

An April Fool’s time gag concerning the decease of a astir 200-year-old tortoise named Jonathan caused a disturbance connected the net Wednesday.

The hoax, perpetrated by an idiosyncratic claiming to beryllium the veterinarian that cared for the tortoise, posted astir the purported demise of the world’s oldest surviving onshore mammal connected Wednesday.

After being picked up by aggregate quality outlets and yet debunked, the idiosyncratic aboriginal confirmed it was an April Fool’s Day joke, mocking the publications and users who had believed it successful the archetypal spot aft the archetypal station ballooned to much than 1.7 cardinal views connected the societal media platform.

“1.7M views is brainsick connected a station astir Jonathan dying today,” the relationship posted connected Wednesday evening, aft the hoax had been discovered. “Yes, he's inactive alive. Did anyone nonstop crypto?” they added, including a Solana declaration code for an “Oldest Animal” meme coin that promotes Jonathan, utilizing the ticker JONATHAN.

The Solana code was besides included successful the account’s societal media bio and prominently displayed connected the illustration leafage of the individual.

However, portion determination are reports that the idiosyncratic had asked for crypto donations, it’s not instantly wide if those posts were deleted, oregon if the declaration code provided—which represents the token relationship of the meme coin—was mistaken arsenic an individual’s Solana address. 

At slightest 1 station from the relationship references “taking a donation,” but erstwhile much promotes the JONATHAN meme coin. 

The Solana-based token was created successful July 2025, but has languished successful irrelevancy for astir of its existence, having lone jumped supra a $40,000 marketplace headdress successful the past period of trading. 

Amid the fake quality of the animal’s death, the token jumped concisely to a $380,000 marketplace headdress connected Thursday, but has since retraced each of the gains to commercialized astir a $50,000 marketplace cap, according to information from DEXScreener. 

That leap was not capable for immoderate traders to people important gains, with the 2 astir profitable traders scoring little than $2,500 successful profits. Furthermore, the astir profitable trader had really exited their JONATHAN position 2 days anterior to the hoax announcement, missing retired connected a overmuch much important purse successful the process. 

Jonathan, a Seychelles elephantine tortoise, is suspected to beryllium astatine slightest 193 years aged and resides connected St. Helena, an land that is portion of the British overseas territories. 

The politician of the land provided a proof-of-life representation of the tortoise munching connected leaves to the Guardian on Thursday morning, providing reassurance to millions that had falsely mourned his passing the time prior.