False claim: Monkeys swimming in hotel pool in Islamabad during coronavirus lockdown
This video shows monkeys swimming in a pool in India during the COVID-19 lockdown
(AFP) - A video of monkeys swimming in a pool has been viewed thousands of times on Facebook and Twitter alongside a claim it was filmed was shot in the Pakistani capital during a COVID-19 lockdown. The claim is false; the video actually shows monkeys enjoying a swim at a hotel in India during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The video has been viewed more than 4,100 times after it was published on Facebook on April 17, 2020.
The post’s caption reads: “Monkeys were swimming in Marriott Hotel Islamabad Swimming pool during the Lock down !”
Below is a screenshot of the misleading post:
The same video was shared in Facebook posts with a caption in Spanish stating the clip was filmed in Kenya. The same video was also shared in Portuguese with a claim that it shows a scene in Brazil.
The claims are all false; the video shows a scene at a hotel in India.
In response to a seperate tweet that included the footage, a Twitter user stated the video shows monkeys swimming at an apartment complex in Hyderabad’s Mettuguda, Secunderabad neighbourhood.
A search of the area on Google Maps found the apartment block in the video corresponded with images of the Aparna Oosmans Everest complex. The apartment block and corresponding photos of the pool can be seen on Google maps
Below is a screenshot comparison of the video in the misleading Facebook post (L) and Google Maps photo (R) with matching features circled in red:
