We came across the following video on X:

The video, with over 2.6 million views on X depicts what appears to be a lioness calmly walking along a dimly lit street before stopping to sniff a man sleeping on the pavement. The animal eventually walks away without causing harm. The video, which states in the caption that it was filmed in Gujarat, a state along the Western coast of India, has been circulated across social media, and also posted by news sites based in India.

Upon closer examination, however, we find that the video is not what it claims to be. While Gujarat is indeed home to Asiatic lions, primarily in the Gir Forest region, there is no credible evidence that this particular video captures a real encounter. Visual analysis of the clip showed common indicators of AI synthesis, including unnatural limb movement, inconsistent lighting, and soft, indistinct textures in the environment that are characteristic of generative video tools.

When we conducted a reverse image search of the video, we found a full length version of the clip posted on the YouTube channel of “The world of beasts”. In their channel description, it states that the videos are designed with the help of AI, confirming that the video was in fact AI-generated.

This video forms part of a growing trend of AI-generated content being shared as real, particularly in the form of low-resolution, dramatic clips that mimic CCTV or mobile phone footage. While such videos may appear innocuous at first glance, their virality can spread misinformation rapidly. Animals in particular, seem to be frequent targets for AI-generated content due to their popularity on the internet with Black Dot Research having recently debunked another AI-generated video of an “emotional support” kangaroo waiting to board a plane.  In this case, the video misleads viewers about both the reality of wildlife encounters in Gujarat and the reliability of online visuals more broadly.

We therefore rate the claim that this video shows a real incident in Gujarat as false. It is not authentic CCTV footage, but rather an AI-generated creation that has been misrepresented and circulated without context.