A false report claiming the death of Jonathan, a 193-year-old tortoise on St. Helena, went viral on April 1.
The hoax was posted by someone posing as his caretaker, quickly gaining over 1.7 million views before being exposed as a joke.
Governor’s office confirmed Jonathan remains healthy, sharing proof-of-life images.
Attached to the prank were mentions of a Solana-based meme coin called JONATHAN, which surged briefly from a $40,000 to a $380,000 market cap.
Despite the buzz, few investors saw major returns. The top trader exited positions just before the hype peaked.
Created in July 2025, the JONATHAN token has mostly remained obscure until this stunt brought temporary attention.