Fact Check: Kancha Gachibowli deer wander into homes after land clearing? No, video is old and unrelated

Hyderabad: On April 3, the Supreme Court of India ordered a halt to all tree felling and excavation activities on the 400-acre land at Kancha Gachibowli, near the University of Hyderabad (UoH), citing environmental concerns and the lack of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). However, misinformation regarding land clearing and the destruction of animal habitats continues to circulate on social media.

A video showing a group of deer entering a residential area has been circulating on social media, with the claim that the animals have been displaced due to the destruction of their natural habitat in Kancha Gachibowli, Hyderabad.

The translation of the Hindi text overlaid in the video reads, “They too feel pain and sorrow, they too have families. In Hyderabad, bulldozers are ravaging a 400-acre forest to make way for an upcoming IT park. As a result, the animals and wildlife are being forced to leave the forest and are now appearing in people’s homes, on roads and streets, leading to human-wildlife conflicts.”

Sharing the video on X, a user wrote, “No one is cooperating to save the 400-acre forest in Hyderabad. Look at the condition of these speechless creatures.” (Archive)

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the claim is false, as the video is old and unrelated.

A reverse image search of the keyframes of the video led us to it being shared by a Facebook account on August 3, 2023, captioned “Deer Invasion.”

We also found an extended version of the video posted by another Facebook account, The Kiwi, on June 17, 2023. Similar to the viral clip, this version shows a herd of deer entering a house garage, followed by the house owner, Lynn Smith, coming and feeding the deer lovingly.

Taking this cue, we looked up Lynn Smith and found several deer-related videos posted on his Instagram and YouTube accounts, Deer Whisperer Lynn Smith. Links to those posts can be seen here, here and here.

According to US-based media reports (links here, here and here), Lynn Smith, based in Austin, Texas, has earned the nickname ‘Deer Whisperer’ for forming bonds with more than 70 deer. He and his wife began feeding the animals during the pandemic, gradually gaining their trust, so much so that some now wander into their home for treats. Smith regularly shares these heartwarming interactions on his social media platforms.

We have reached out to Lynn Smith for confirmation regarding the location and year the video was recorded. The story will be updated as and when he replies.

Therefore, we conclude that the video is old and unrelated to land clearing in Kancha Gachibowli, Hyderabad.