In November 2019, Facebook users from the Moiben constituency in Uasin Gishu county in western Kenya were worried that there could be a lion roaming their villages.
They shared photos that they said was proof of the animal’s presence, and the damage it had caused.
The Standard newspaper quoted a Kenya Wildlife Service official confirming that there was a lion in the area and that authorities were investigating.
Days later, another user shared a photo of a lion at a traffic intersection, claiming it was in Mombasa, a coastal city southeast of the capital Nairobi.
“Meanwhile, a lion spotted in Mombasa posta stage ferry road,” the Facebook user said. “Watu wa Msa jihadharini,” they added in Kiswahili, which means “please beware”.
A reverse image search of the photo shows it was originally used in an article on the UK-based Caters News Agency website on 15 April 2016.
The article reported on a stray lion spotted strolling the streets of Johannesburg, South Africa.
The lion, named Columbus, was in fact used in a local film production and had been borrowed from a nearby lion park, the article said.
“According to the lion park, it is not the first time that Columbus has courted the limelight and has previously appeared in a film named Blended and also numerous adverts.”
Other photos of Columbus in his starring role were published by UK newspapers the Sun, Daily Mail and the Mirror. – Dancan Bwire
They shared photos that they said was proof of the animal’s presence, and the damage it had caused.
The Standard newspaper quoted a Kenya Wildlife Service official confirming that there was a lion in the area and that authorities were investigating.
Days later, another user shared a photo of a lion at a traffic intersection, claiming it was in Mombasa, a coastal city southeast of the capital Nairobi.
“Meanwhile, a lion spotted in Mombasa posta stage ferry road,” the Facebook user said. “Watu wa Msa jihadharini,” they added in Kiswahili, which means “please beware”.
Three-year-old photo from South Africa
A reverse image search of the photo shows it was originally used in an article on the UK-based Caters News Agency website on 15 April 2016.
The article reported on a stray lion spotted strolling the streets of Johannesburg, South Africa.
The lion, named Columbus, was in fact used in a local film production and had been borrowed from a nearby lion park, the article said.
“According to the lion park, it is not the first time that Columbus has courted the limelight and has previously appeared in a film named Blended and also numerous adverts.”
Other photos of Columbus in his starring role were published by UK newspapers the Sun, Daily Mail and the Mirror. – Dancan Bwire
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