A Solana-based memecoin named after Jonathan, the world’s oldest living tortoise, surged more than 42% in 24 hours after an April Fools’ death hoax about the animal was debunked by the Associated Press, revealing that the viral stunt was tied to crypto promotion and donation solicitation.
AP Confirms Jonathan Is Alive After the April Fools Hoax
TLDR KEYPOINTS
- The Associated Press confirmed on April 2, 2026 that Jonathan the tortoise is alive and the death report was an April Fools’ hoax.
- The Solana-based JONATHAN token rallied 42.47% in 24 hours, briefly reaching a $380,000 market cap before retracing.
- AP reported that the hoaxer solicited crypto donations, and the scheme was described as a con by Jonathan’s veterinarian.
On April 2, 2026, Anne Dillon, head of communications for the British Overseas Territory of St. Helena, told the AP that Jonathan is “very much alive.” The false death claim had been posted on April 1, 2026, and spread rapidly, accumulating nearly 2 million views before the story was debunked.
Jonathan holds the Guinness World Record as the oldest living land animal. He has lived on St. Helena since 1882 and is a fixture of the island’s identity, which helps explain why the hoax gained traction so quickly across social media.
A Note on Jonathan’s Age
AP described Jonathan as 193 years old in its April 2 coverage. Guinness World Records, however, lists him as at least 194 in 2026, based on a circa-1832 birth estimate. The one-year gap likely reflects rounding differences, since Jonathan’s exact hatch date is unknown.
How the Solana-Based JONATHAN Token Reacted to the Hoax
The memecoin labeled “WORLDS OLDEST ANIMAL” on decentralized exchanges saw an immediate spike in trading activity as the hoax went viral. DEXScreener data showed the JONATHAN/SOL pair up 42.47% in 24 hours with roughly $592,000 in trading volume at the time of capture.
The episode underscores how Solana-based memecoins remain a magnet for speculative capital around viral events. In a different corner of the ecosystem, the $286 million Drift Protocol exploit recently highlighted the broader risks embedded in the Solana DeFi landscape.
Intraday Peak vs. Post-Retrace Levels
Decrypt reported that the JONATHAN token briefly reached a market cap of approximately $380,000 on April 2 before pulling back sharply. By the time research data was captured, the token’s market cap had fallen to around $39,000, a decline of roughly 90% from its intraday high.
The pattern mirrors a dynamic familiar across Solana memecoins: a viral catalyst drives a rapid speculative spike, followed by an equally fast retrace as attention fades. The rise of wallet-based perpetual trading across Telegram has further lowered the barrier for retail traders to enter and exit these volatile micro-cap tokens.
What Links the Hoax to Crypto Promotion and What Is Still Unclear
The AP report included a statement from Joe Hollins, Jonathan’s veterinarian, who said the person behind the hoax was asking for crypto donations and called the scheme a con. This framing positioned the false death story not merely as an internet prank but as a coordinated attempt to funnel money through cryptocurrency.
Decrypt separately reported that the account responsible for the hoax promoted the JONATHAN memecoin during the attention surge. The timing suggests the misinformation was designed to drive speculative trading into the token alongside direct donation solicitation. The crypto space has seen analogous coordination issues in other areas, including infrastructure efforts like Safenet aimed at improving transaction transparency and safety.
What Remains Unverified
Whether the hoax operator directly received funds through the JONATHAN token address has not been independently confirmed. According to Decrypt, deleted posts and wallet details were not clearly preserved, leaving a gap in the evidence chain.
The research pass for this story did not locate an archived, first-hand copy of any deleted donation-solicitation post. Without wallet-level attribution, the exact financial benefit to the hoaxer remains unclear.
Misinformation-fueled rallies in micro-cap tokens can distort both reader perception and trading behavior. A token with a $39,000 market cap requires minimal capital to move dramatically, meaning the headline percentage gain reflects a volatile, thinly traded asset rather than broad market conviction.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency and digital asset markets carry significant risk. Always do your own research before making decisions.
