These Images Do Not Show Marine Life Invading Florida During Hurricane Ian
The Claim
A series of photos depict sharks and other species that appeared in Florida's urban areas during Hurricane Ian.
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Emerging story
A photo taken from a white car of a large fish swimming in floods that were submerging what the users described as the highway has gone viral.
The photo, according to the users, shows a shark swimming in Florida during Hurricane Ian.
Other images of different species were also shared, along with allegations that marine life had infiltrated Florida's urban areas.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar has investigated the claim and found it to be fake. The images are old and unrelated to Hurricane Ian hitting Southwest Florida.
Old and Altered Images Resurfaced
The viral image of a shark swimming in a flooded street is old and has been shared during hurricanes and natural disasters since 2011.
However, the image is not authentic and was digitally manipulated to add the large dark fish to the flooded street. The shark was already spotted in a picture of a large fish trailing a kayak that was uploaded to the National Geographic photographer Thomas P. Peschak's website. The photograph was already featured in a September 2005 Africa Geographic article.
Photo Description: A screenshot from Thomas P. Peschak website.
The second low-quality image of the Orca or Killer Whale in an urban area is manipulated and unrelated to Hurricane Ian hitting Florida. The image is old and has been circulated online five years ago.
The image also surfaced during floods and natural disasters in other states. However, the low-quality picture is digitally created and manipulated to add the Orca.
The third image featuring a sharp shark dorsal in the floods is unrelated to Hurricane Ian. It is an old image that has been shared online since2011, at least.
Photo Description: A screenshot from an article published in 2011.
Photo Description: The image appeared in an article published in 2015.
Altered Image of the Australian ‘Celebrity Crocodile’
The last image of an alligator swimming into a flooded house was manipulated to add the crocodile. The picture first surfaced in 2014 and in 2021.
An advanced search led us to a Daily Mail story published in 2014 about a giant crocodile that became a celebrity after being caught eating a bull shark. The crocodile known as Brutus is a 5.5 meter alligator that lives in the Adelaide River in northern Australia, and has been photographed on several river tours.
Photo description: Brutus's image was used to create the viral picture.
Misinformation About Hurricane Ian
As Hurricane Ian hit southwest Florida with catastrophic wind and rain, killing at least ten people while others are missing in the floods, misleading and false narratives, including altered pictures, surfaced.
Misbar has previously debunked a 7-second video purportedly showing the recent Hurricane Ian hitting Florida that is circulating on social media.
Our team also investigated a satellite night view of Cuba's blackout that went viral on Tuesday after Hurricane Ian ravaged the island, leaving 11 million people without electricity.
Read More
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The Cuba Night Satellite Photo Was Not Taken During Hurricane Ian
