Wolves

Does a viral video show a real scene where lightning struck a fishing lake and caused a massive spout of water and many fish to fly high into the air? No, that's not true: This video was posted by a TikTok account which posts AI-generated videos with no disclaimer. Many of the videos feature unlikely scenarios involving wild animals --…

Does a video show the real story of a man who helped a mother wolf get veterinary help after she was shot with an arrow, and who cared for her wolf puppies while she recovered? No, that's not true: This video is AI-generated. It originated from a TikTok channel which has published over ten different AI-generated videos featuring a man…

Did a trail camera capture footage of a still-missing three-year-old Jacob Riley walking with a pack of wolves just outside Blue Ridge? No, that's not true: This video was published by Blue Ridge Breaking News, which produces satire and parody content. A disclaimer on the Facebook page says, "We are a world-renowned satirical news organization bringing you the stories that…

Do viral online posts show screenshots of real trail cam footage of a Chihuahua dog who "joins the wolf pack"? No, that's not true: The dog has been digitally inserted into two different trail cam images. According to specialized detection software, much of the story of a viral article about the "scrappy stray Chihuahua" in Ely, Minnesota was written by…

Was a Fort Collins, Colorado man, who described himself as a "wolf furry," mauled by wolves in Wyoming when he tried to join their pack? No, that's not true: The story circulating on social media originated on 'Casper Planet' a satirical Facebook page which posts fake stories that are based mainly in Wyoming. The page has a disclaimer that says,…

Do gorillas, sharks and wolves avoid illnesses because they do not eat chemically treated food like humans do? No, that's not true: Gorillas and wolves, both mammals, do get sick and can contract infections and diseases, wildlife experts told Lead Stories. Scientific studies and animal conservation groups have reported the same about the oft-repeated claim sharks never sicken. The claim…

Is sunscreen bad for your skin? And did skin cancer not exist until the 20th century? No, that's not true: Two dermatologists told Lead Stories that sunscreen, chemical or mineral, is not bad for your skin. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), skin cancer is caused by too much exposure to ultraviolet rays. And Hippocrates, a Greek physician,…

Did wolves attack Shrek the Sheep (archived here), a Merino sheep who escaped from a sheep station only to be found 6 years later covered in approximately 60 pounds of wool? No, that's not true: there are no native wolves in New Zealand, although there are non-native feral dogs. The claim appeared in a Facebook post (archived here) published on…

Does this caption accurately describe the social structure of a wolf pack that happened to be photographed moving single file through the snow? No, that's not true: This is an allegorical caption that uses the image of a wolf pack to deliver a lesson to people about "the true meaning of life." This breakdown of the roles of the wolves…

Is a man wearing a MAGA-style red hat that reads "Make Whites Great Again" in a photo the Minneapolis police officer who had his knee on George Floyd's neck as Floyd died? No, that's not true: The photo shared widely on social media is of a notorious internet troll who has fooled major news outlets on several instances in recent…