Fact Check: Viral video of a tiger being shifted by an elephant is not from Bihar but Uttarakhand

Fact Check:

The claim is False. The viral video is from 2011 and is not related to Bihar.

When we extracted keyframes from the video and checked it using Google reverse image search, we found a few older Instagram posts shared with the caption “In 2011, Sunderkhal, Uttarakhand, witnessed a reign of terror as a tiger claimed six lives. Driven by instinctual urges and likely prompted by an injury, the majestic beast turned Man-Eater, instilling fear among locals. Authorities launched a relentless pursuit to capture the notorious tiger. Finally subdued, it was paraded atop an elephant for public viewing, its once fearsome demeanor now subdued. India averages 55 deaths by tigers annually, a tragic toll exacted from encounters mostly with villagers and forest dwellers. Shrinking habitats intensify human-wildlife conflicts, prompting the government to implement measures like relocation and habitat restoration to protect both humans and wildlife. However, parading the captured tiger raises ethical concerns, sparking debates about animal treatment and conservation perceptions. Striking a balance between conservation and compassion is crucial, preserving the tiger's majesty while honoring the lives lost.”

Both the posts shared the credit to a YouTube channel named Samburhunter. When we searched for this YouTube channel, we found that the YouTube channel Samburhunter shared the longer version of the video in January 2012. The description of the video stated “Jan 2011. Death became of the man-eater which killed 6 people and terrorized local villagers.”

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We also found a post by forest officer Parveen Kaswan clarified that the video is an old one from the year 2011, from Ramnagar of Uttarakhand. The tiger killed 6 people and was later hunted down by authorities. It was transported on an elephant, maybe vehicles were not able to go to the place.

An article published on the India Today news website states that the tiger was shot dead at the Kosi river range area of the park on suspicion of killing a 27-year-old man after agitating villagers demanded immediate elimination of the feline. Under attack from various quarters for killing a tiger in the Corbett tiger reserve, the Uttarakhand Wildlife Department on Sunday strongly defended its action, saying the big cat was a "man-eater" that killed at least four persons.

Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has ordered a probe into the killing of the tiger, while the then Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh is understood to have sought a report from the state government on the incident.

A forest warden shot to death a man-eater that had created terror in and around Kumaon’s Corbett Reserve, stalking and killing at least six people in the last three months. The animal had killed and eaten his latest victim, a 27-year-old man. Forest officials launched an extensive combing operation to trace the nine-year-old man-eater after mutilated remains of a man identified as Puran Chand were found and the 10-foot-long big cat was finally felled around 2.30 pm.

Initially, there was confusion about whether it was the same man-eater which had stalked victims around the park for three months. However, Uttarakhand forest officials confirmed that the tiger shot by them was indeed the killer of villagers in and around Corbett.

Therefore, the viral video is from 2011 and is from Uttarakhand. The claim is False.

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