XXL crocodile: is this incredible “Maximo” photo real or fake?

Watch the video: Huge crocodile – is Maximo really as big as in this photo?

This photo takes your breath away: A huge crocodile lies in front of a man. Next to the reptile it appears almost tiny.

The strange photo serves as a teaser image for numerous online videos and articles.

But what’s up with the incredible picture? Is the recording real?

The picture of the huge crocodile is a fake.

The man in the foreground was later added to the shot to make the animal appear even more powerful.

A reverse search of the image leads to the US Highway Administration’s website, which provides the full-resolution original photo.

The name of the file is: Maximo_AlligatorFarm

These keywords lead to the website of an alligator farm in Florida. There is actually a massive reptile here named Maximo.

The mighty saltwater crocodile is 4.6 meters long. A photo showing Maximo with an animal keeper makes it clear that the animal is large, but not nearly as large as in the manipulated image.

But is Maximo actually the animal in the fake photo?

A reverse search of the original image confirms the suspicion. The photo is also used in the Wikipedia article on saltwater crocodiles. The descriptive text is stored: “This is Maximo, a more than 15 foot tall crocodile at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm.”

The case makes it clear: Exaggerated and manipulated photos are used to lure users to videos and articles and thus generate clicks. This is how a large crocodile becomes a larger-than-life monster.

How do we check videos for manipulation in the editorial office? It is important to look at the details. The individual frames of a video often reveal whether a video has been edited. We take a close look at each image and enlarge individual sections. Indications of a fake are, for example: lack of motion blur, unnatural shadows or editing errors. The general rule at stern is: Seriousness before speed. We always double-check facts and material thoroughly before publishing them. For this we work with the cross-editorial “Team Verification” together with RTL, NTV, RTL2, Radio NRW.

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