Is it true that Kamala Harris shot a rare rhino during a visit to Zambia in 2023?

In September 2024, the news was encouraged on the Web that a candidate for the post of US President from the Democratic Party in the recent past had killed a unique animal on Safari in Africa. We checked the reliability of this story.

Messages that Harris shot a rare rhino in Zambia, spread widely in Runet. For example, in the Telegram channel of the TV presenter Ruslan Ostashko (92,000 views at the time of writing this analysis) says: “During the last year’s visit to the African country, Harris participated in Safari, the money from which is used to finance the activities of environmental organizations of Zambia. During the Safari, the delegation accompanied by a representative of the North Luangva Park, a rare black rhino named Kosuba met. There were only 34 black rhinos in Zambia, hunting for them is strictly prohibited. Despite the warning of the accompanying person, Harris shot the rhino. The incident was not publicized, the Zambia authorities decided to hush him up in order to avoid a diplomatic scandal. ” The post was given a video interview with a person who was represented by an employee of the park and spoke about what happened, as well as several screenshots of news notes on this topic. Later in the channel Ostashko, this story They called it One of the main ones in the day.

According to the TGSTAT service, at least 90 Telegram channels wrote about the murdered Harris Rogram, whose publications in total gained almost 2 million views. Among them "Sanya in Florida"(483,000 views),"Zlaya Pruf"(203,000),"Russia now"(202 000),"Putin in Telegram"(173 000),"Observer"(134,000, the post is deleted),"Mordor's voice"(133,000),"Rhymes and news"(117 000),"Tsargrad-TV"(62 000),"Gasparyan"(49,000) and others. Similar notes are found in"VKontakte", As well as in the social network X, where there is only one post of the pro -Kremlin English account DD Geopolitics Sicked 798,000 views.

Many such notes gave three screenshots. The first of them is made on the website of the Associated Press, where March 31, 2023 I went out Material about the tour of the US Vice President in Africa. The publication reports that in the capital of Zambia, Harris visited the place where the house of her maternal grandfather P.V. Gopalan had previously stood. In the 1960s, he, as an Indian civil servant, was sent to Lusaku and helped the government of the country, which had recently gained independence, resolve refugee issues. According to the representative of the White House, the US Embassy’s employees studied documents, talked with representatives of the Zambia and India authorities, and also contacted former officials to determine the exact location of Gopalan's house. The fact that in Lusak or the surroundings Harris visited natural reserves or participated in Safari was not reported to the Associated Press.

The second screenshot was made on The Intel Drop (TID), where September 26, 2024 I went out The publication with the heading “Diplomatic Hunt: Vice President of Kamal Harris shot and killed an extremely rare black rhino in Zambia in 2023.” TID - created in September 2022 anonymous The resource, the description of which says: “An impartial news source for the reconnaissance and financial community. With the exception of articles from regular authors, materials are accepted on the basis of content and value. The TID editors include current and retired intelligence professionals who experience collective fear of the level of censorship, control and frank "black propaganda", served by the general public. " This resource five times mentioned In the analysis “verified” - mainly as a fake distributor about the President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky.

The article TID stated that Safari Harris became known after several African news agencies at once published an interview with the ranger of the Zimon National Park Simon Mubang. At the same time, the text shows only one site - iharare.com, where the last viral screenshot was made. There indicated (At the time of publication, the article is not available, another material opens at this address) that a note about the rhino, which was allegedly killed by Harris, was published on September 24.

During his own tour In Africa, Harris visited three countries: Ganu, Tanzania and Zambia. However, the IHARARARE.COM resource is not related to these states and Describes yourself like this: "Founded In 2013, IHARARARE became the largest and most visited site in Zimbabwe with the reputation of the universal information center. ” According to the site Media Bias / Fact Check, which Studies political bias and misinformation in the media, iharare possesses low reliability, since previously repeatedly spread fakes. Original note About the rhino and vice-president of the United States, it was published on this Zimbabvian resource under the heading “Interview with the Ranger of Nature Park North Luangva Simon Mubanga” and is a textual decoding of the conversation. Below her full translation:

“I'm glad you were able to devote time to us today.” We gathered here to discuss the population of black rhinos in Zambia. Could you first tell us a little about the history of black rhinos in Zambia?
- Certainly. Back in the 1960s, the population of black rhinos in Zambia was the third largest in Africa. However, in 1998, the Zabi population of black rhinos was declared completely extinct. The reason for this was the activity of poachers. The rhinos hunted mainly for the sake of their horns, which were sold in the black market.
- It is a pity to hear it. From the third largest population to complete extinction ...
- Really. Fortunately, the story does not end there. In 2003, the government made an initiative to improve the rhino population. As a result, five individuals were imported after the efforts to improve safety to combat poaching were made.
- It is joyful to hear. What happened next?
- By 2011, under supervision and security, there were 25 rhinos. Such small populations are very fragile. And every small loss of irreplaceable. However, in recent years we have encountered some problems.
- Can you tell me some of these problems?
-The biggest problem was that we lost six individuals due to climate change. That year, the weather was too hot and dry. Another problem arose when we lost one of our young rhinos - Chilund. We had to organize a search group, and then even call a helicopter to deliver it back.
- What about poaching? I hope no one was killed for the sake of horns?
-Not because of the horns. But we had one case. I think, somewhere at the end of March 2023, there was a diplomatic visit to the country. It was a woman, an American politician. Her name was Kamal. She arrived with her team, and they decided to take part in a captured hunt for a safari. You know, during this period, she asked to send a ranger from the park, and I was honored to accompany them. She wanted to know about the local fauna and flora. So I did this. Then ... you know, during the safari we hunt a lot, and this is done in order to raise funds for the protection of nature. However, along the way we met one of the young rhinos, and this woman, by my amazement, decided to shoot him. Actually, hunting for rhinos is completely prohibited, but for some reason she decided to shoot. On the same day, we lost one of our young rhinos. His name was Kasuba.
- Are you serious? It's just terrible. How did you deal with this situation?
- Well, we really could not do anything about it. The incident was Zamyami. We are talking about people clothed with power, so you know everything yourself.
- I understand what you mean. This should be very unpleasant for everyone who is engaged in the preservation of animals.
- Exactly. We removed the lessons and made a lot of effort so that these rhinos did not approach the places of hunting.
“Thank you for your efforts, I think you are doing a lot of work.” Tell me, how many black rhinos do you have today?
- Today we have 34 of them. At present, our main goal is to ensure that one fine day we can proudly say that black rhinos are not officially an endangered look in Zambia.
- I sincerely wish you good luck in this! Thank you for finding time for us.

Video There was a conversation Published On YouTube no later than September 24 - probably, at first it could only be seen by the link, but on September 25, the video was placed in general access. By the time of writing this analysis, he did not become any viral and did not receive a single comment. The video was placed by the user under the nickname Joseph ZB, who registered on the platform recently, September 20. It should be noted that the person who is being interviewed did not introduce himself in the frame, and it is also not clear which publication or project he gives a comment. It is not possible to find out exactly where exactly this video was shot: it is recorded in an unknown room where the state hangs on the wall flag Zambia.

Initially, on the IHARARARE website it was indicated that a certain Vincent Masikati published a note with an interview. In the section "About Us"The list of employees of the editorial office is indicated only by Kuzai Masikati, however profile Vincent on the site is available. The author’s description is given there: “Nyasha Masikati, aka Zaniest, is a loud author who has been working in trenches for seven years (and loves it). He is insatiable curious and, frankly, bizarre. He is interested in everyone, from entertainment to politics! "

On the site also specified The phone number by which “verified” was applied to the editor through WhatsApp. We asked how IHARARARE learned about the existence of an interview with the alleged employee of the Zambian Park. Soon after this, the output these notes have changed - now instead of Masikati there as an author is indicated "guest", And from the section" International News "the text was transferred to" Opinions ". The profile of the guest author indicates: “You will have the task of revealing the truth and bring it to life with fascinating ways. Regardless of whether you are an experienced reporter or novice journalist, iharare is an ideal platform to hone your skill and spread your voice around the world. ” In the publication itself, a disclaimer also appeared that such guest materials did not necessarily reflect the editorial position. “We strive to present a variety of points of view and information for our readers' consideration,” say at the end.

At the same number “verified” the commentary of a certain nyasha (probably the founder of the portal received a commentary Nyashi muzamba): “Guest authors on iharare.com are largely similar to elusive storytellers - they are divided by intriguing stories, and then again go into the shadow. Usually they send their work by e -mail or through the form on our website. Although we cannot provide personal data (even if we had it), we always make sure that all materials meet our editorial standards before they appear on our pages. ”

"Verified" also turned to the press service Programs The preservation of nature in the North Luangva National Park, which is jointly implemented by the Department of National Parks and the Wildlife of Zambia and the Frankfurt Zoological Society. The answer states that Harris did not visit the North Luangva either in March 2023 or at any other time. Accordingly, the US Vice President did not shoot and did not kill any animals under the threat of disappearance there. “Not a single rhino was shot dead in the North Luangva National Park since the crisis of poaching in the mid-1980s. The Department of National Parks and the Wildlife of Zambia never hired a ranger named Simon Mubang to work in the northern Luangva. A person in the video has nothing to do with this national park, ”said the representative of the program.

At the same time, a significant part of the interview, apparently, is based on genuine articles on the problems of preserving rhinos in Zambia. For example, the story of the population in the 1960s, the extinction of animals in 1998 and the launch of the initiative to restore them in 2003 almost completely coincides with material On the site of the organization Save the Rhino ("Save the rhino"). A fragment about the first five imported individuals, about 25 animals by 2011 and about 34 rhinos today, as well as about the death of six individuals during drought, most likely taken from the Especially Africa website, where the corresponding article was published back in 2015. The story of the lost rhino chilunde, who was returned home with a helicopter, Available on many resources.

The earliest appearance in RuNet is a fake news about Harris (among the publications that traveled "verified") took place in the Telegram channel "Freshness"(34,000 views). There the post was published on September 26 at 20:55 Moscow time. Previously, this channel mentioned In dozens of our analysis of misinformation and often became the original source of fakes. 

A similar scheme for the spread of false messages was used earlier. For example, in October 2023, the news was encouraged that the first lady of Ukraine Elena Zelenskaya, during a trip to New York, spent more than $ 1 million on jewelry. The evidence was also a video with a comment by the alleged boutique employee, but soon It turned outWhat was originally about this for the reward was written by the Nigerian site, and the role of Cartier was played by the black-skinned model living in St. Petersburg. In a similar way using fake sites and actors of African origin, fakes spread that 2011 Harris shot down teenager, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany Annalena Berobok I used it Escort services during their visits to Africa.

Thus, during a visit to Zambia, Harris did not kill a rare black rhino. Initially, an unknown person who was represented by an employee of the Zambian National Park, as well as (with reference to him), the Zimbabvian portal, who published a note on behalf of an anonymous guest author, told about this. Later, The Intel Drop, engaged in propaganda and misinformation, and the pro-Kremlin Telegram channels distributed history. The press service of the Nature Preservation Program in the National Park North Luangva said that Harris had never visited their reserve.

*Russian authorities They think Meta Platforms Inc., which owns the social network Facebook, is prohibited by an extremist organization, its activities and symbolism in Russia.

Photo on the cover: Zambia Reports (Facebook*)

Fake

What do our verdicts mean?

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