Stories that go viral on social media often captivate our attention with shocking or unbelievable headlines. One such example that surfaced earlier

this year claimed that a half pig, half human baby had been born and survived in Kenya. The bizarre claim, widely circulated online, included photos of what appeared to be a strange, hybrid creature. Many users clicked, shared, and commented without question.

But as revealed by fact-checkers and credible news outlets including The Indian Express and Reuters, the story was entirely fabricated. The “creature” was not the result of genetic mutation or interspecies breeding but rather a realistic sculpture created by an Italian visual artist specializing in hyperrealistic models.

Users were led to believe that the creature was born to a pig in rural Kenya, and several websites began reporting the incident without citing credible medical or scientific sources. Some versions of the story falsely claimed that scientists were “investigating the case” or that local authorities had confirmed the creature’s existence. Read more below