Claim:

A video shared online in early October 2024 authentically showed a baby giraffe riding on its mother’s back.

Rating:

A video shared with X on October 9, 2024, appeared to show a baby giraffe riding on its mother’s back.

User

(User X @S___h___a___h)

Another user shared the same videothis time garnering more than 2.1 million views. The legend, which was translated of Japanese using Google, said the recording captured “a rare sight,” suggesting they believed the images were real.

A similar Post X was uploaded by a third user on October 9 and a fourth user job on YouTube on September 25.

However, the images are fake. After 8 seconds, the calf’s head passes into its mother’s neck, as shown in the screenshot below.

(X/@S___h___a___h)

There are other indications that the video is fake. For example, the calf’s front leg is abnormally positioned, as shown below.

(X/@S___h___a___h)

THE Giraffe Conservation Foundation said in an email that they believe the clip was generated using artificial intelligence software.

A similar video reportedly shows a baby giraffe”riding on his mother’s back” was shared on YouTube on October 4, 2024 by a channel called Little paws and cuddles.

This account posts “adorable animal moments” which, for the most part, appear to be generated by AI, including the pictures in question in this article.

Snopes examined similar AI-generated animal videos, including one baby peacockA giant Maine coon catand a exceptionally large white rabbit.

Sources:

Start Life – Giraffe Conservation Foundation. March 14, 2019, https://giraffeconservation.org/facts/starting-life/.

YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JGJcqTRaYtM. Accessed October 23, 2024.