Fact Check: Elephants affected by Kancha Gachibowli land clearing? No, videos are old and unrelated

Since the controversy surrounding the 400-acre land clearing in the Kancha Gachibowli area of Hyderabad by the Telangana state government, several pieces of misinformation have been circulating on social media. NewsMeter has already debunked many of these claims. In this article, we address and debunk the specific claims that elephants were victims of the land clearing in Kancha Gachibowli.

Claim: 1

A video showing an elephant attempting to overturn a JCB has been circulating on social media, with claims suggesting it is from Kancha Gachibowli. The text overlaid on the video reads, “Even they know how to fight for their rights and place. Justice for HCU Biodiversity.” (Archive)

Fact Check

NewsMeter found the claim misleading, as the video is from the Damdim area of Jalpaiguri district, West Bengal.

A reverse image search of the video’s keyframes led us to the same footage published by NDTV in a report dated February 6, titled “Wild Elephant Attacks JCB Machine In West Bengal After Being Provoked.”

According to the report, the incident occurred on February 1 in the Damdim area of West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district, when an elephant wandered out of the Apalchand Forest in search of food. Locals allegedly harassed and chased the animal, prompting it to charge at onlookers. The elephant then attacked a nearby watchtower and a JCB machine, after the driver confronted it using the excavator's bucket.

A report by The Hindu dated February 5, which featured a screengrab from the video, stated that the driver of the JCB was arrested and the machine was confiscated.

Claim: 2

Another video showing an elephant with a massive hole in its trunk is also being shared by several social media users. One Instagram user posted the video with the caption: “The Telangana Congress government doesn't even have a proper vet to treat this wounded elephant, which was injured by a government JCB.”

Fact Check

NewsMeter found the claim false, as the video predates the land clearing of Kancha Gachibowli.

A reverse image search of the keyframes from this video led us to an Instagram post dated December 13, 2024. The user had shared the video with several hashtags, including “#Africa.”

Following this lead, we conducted a keyword search and found an image of an elephant with a similar large hole in its forehead, featured in an article on the Singita website published in April 2021.

The website identifies the elephant as Rhandzekile, which means “Loved” in Shangaan. She has a significant hole in her forehead through which she does most of her breathing. According to the article, this abnormality is believed to be congenital. Despite this condition, Rhandzekile has lived a normal life, raising a calf and roaming across various parts of the Greater Kruger National Park in South Africa.

We also found several images of Rhandzekile shared by the South Africa-based X handle MalaMala Game Reserve on December 15, 2021. The elephant with the hole in her forehead was also featured in a wildlife video compilation published by the verified YouTube channel MalaMala Game Reserve on January 20, 2022.

Hence, we can confirm that the video of the elephant with a hole in its forehead predates the land clearing in Kancha Gachibowli. However, NewsMeter could not independently verify the exact time and location of the video's recording.

Claim: 3

A video allegedly showing an elephant being removed by a JCB excavator has been circulating on social media.

One X user shared the video with the caption, “In Hyderabad, 400 acres of forest are being cleared, animals and birds are being killed, and in some places, deer have been seen crying. Now look at this injured elderly elephant being forcibly removed by a JCB. This is the tragic outcome for animals. Forests belong to them, yet foolish and greedy humans are trying to take over even there. Humans are rapidly inviting their own destruction—one unlike anything seen before.” (Archive)

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the claim, along with this video, is also false, as the footage predates the land clearing in Kancha Gachibowli.

A reverse image search of the video’s keyframes led us to the same visuals in a video published by the YouTube channel CP Wild Lanka on August 2, 2018. According to the channel, the elephant had been attacked by another tusker in Horowpothana, Sri Lanka. A team of wildlife officers administered medical treatment to the injured elephant. However, the animal later died due to the severity of its injuries.

However, NewsMeter could not independently verify the exact time and location of this video either.

Therefore, it is evident that all three viral videos being circulated in connection with the Kancha Gachibowli land clearing are unrelated and misleading. They originate from different regions and time periods.