False hyena sighting in nepal highlights growing wildlife misinformation crisis

A viral social media post claiming spotted hyenas had crossed from India into Nepal’s Rangeli municipality in November 2025 sparked unnecessary panic and revealed a troubling trend of wildlife misinformation spreading across the country. The fabricated images, which showed African spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) — a species not native to Nepal — prompted local authorities to deploy search teams before officials confirmed the sighting was completely false.

“No one could confirm the sighting, and we later found the information to be false,” said district forest officer Utsav Thapa. The incident exemplifies how fake wildlife reports are increasingly shaping public perception and conservation efforts in Nepal, where internet and smartphone usage continue to expand rapidly.

Conservation experts warn that such misinformation campaigns create lasting damage beyond the initial confusion. “When it comes to wildlife, even many mainstream media publish unverified reports that help spread false information,” explained Gobinda Pokharel, a researcher at the National Trust for Nature Conservation Nepal. “Such instances not only incite fear and confusion but also affect people’s perception of animals, their behavior and, eventually, their conservation.”

The hyena hoax represents just one example of Nepal’s broader struggle with online misinformation, which ranges from fabricated wildlife encounters to protest-related falsehoods. As these incidents become more frequent, they’re intensifying national debates over digital literacy, media regulation, and the balance between combating misinformation and preserving freedom of expression — while potentially undermining crucial wildlife conservation efforts.