Several videos on TikTok have sparked public panic by showing Sumatran tigers entering residential areas during floods. These video clips circulated widely without verification, creating the impression that flash floods in Sumatra forced wild animals out of their natural habitat. To verify the truth of these claims, visual analysis, biological data comparison, and AI-content detection were conducted.
Screenshot of the Sumatran tiger video during the flood. (Source: TikTok).
Claim Context
A number of videos circulating on TikTok show a Sumatran tiger walking in a flooded area claimed to be in Sibolga, North Sumatra. In the footage, a voice can be heard saying
“Astaghfirullah, flooding in Sibolga, the tiger has come down. Oh God. Look, it’s with its cub, be careful.”
The video went viral and raised concerns among residents that flash floods in Sumatra had caused wildlife, including tigers, to enter residential zones.
Fact-Checking
A. Proportion Comparison: Tiger Height vs. House Roof Height
Screenshot of the Sumatran tiger video during the flood. (Source: TikTok).
According to WWF Indonesia, the height of an adult Sumatran tiger is around 60 cm. With this size, a tiger walking through water should appear proportionate and should not exceed or nearly match the height of surrounding structures.
However, in the viral video:
- The tiger appears to be walking in the water, not swimming.
- Its body height seems close to the roofline of the houses—almost equal.
- Logically, house roofs cannot be only 1 meter tall.
The disproportion between the size of a Sumatran tiger and the surrounding buildings shows that the visuals in the video are unrealistic and likely manipulated.
B. AI-Generated Content Detection
Screenshot of the analysis results of the viral video content. (Source: Hive Moderation).
The video was then examined using Hive Moderation, a tool used to detect whether content is generated using artificial intelligence (AI).
The results:
- 4% indicated as AI-generated.
- Only 4% detected as non-AI.
- For the audio, 0% indicated as authentic voice.
With such high scores, the video is strongly indicated to be AI-generated—both the visuals and audio—rather than an actual recording.
Conclusion
The claim that a Sumatran tiger appeared during a flash flood in Sibolga is not supported by any evidence. Both physical proportion analysis and AI detection results show that the video was artificially created using generative AI, not a real incident.
On the Fact-meter scale, this claim falls into the category of “Pure Fantasy,” meaning a complete hoax that is entirely fabricated.
AI-generated manipulative videos are now easier than ever to create and spread. The public is advised to:
- Avoid immediately believing dramatic viral content.
- Check official sources before sharing.
- Stay cautious of misleading narratives that exploit disaster events to spread panic.
