Lupus in Bufala: guidelines to fight fake news on wolves

The wolf, we know, is a species that doesn’t go unnoticed, is an easy topic for conversation, live and on social media. Wether one loves or hates it, the wolf attract clickbait and generate discussions, news on wolves attracts attention. For its charisma, this big predator is an easy a target for fake news. Sometimes these fake news are created on purpose, in other cases they are due to a lack of verification. In any case, they can spread fast through the web, creating a misrepresented reality.

How can we distinguish real news from fake ones? How to develop a critical mindset? Thanks to the collaboration with Facta.news, a project on debunking of fake news and disinformation, we created “Lupus in Bufala” practical guidelines to recognize fake news on the wolf. Facta.news is supporter of LWA EU project, and is member of the International Fact-Checking Network (Ifcn); Facta.news website debunk news from a wide range of topics, contributing to the spread of reliable informations.

The main objective of LWA EU is to find shared solution for cohexistence with wolves. News reliability is really important: false myths, negative or positive, give us back an imaginary wolf, often very far from the real animal with which we share the territory. The manual gives us useful tips to identify “wandering” sightings (videos shot in one location and attributed to another), to doubt fake aggressions, and to unmask angelic tales of wolves. All this fake news have really circulated in the media. There is also a section dedicated to evergreens, such as the reintroduction of the wolf, or the howl at the full moon (if you think that they are true, then the manual is for you!), as well as a glossary that helps us to critically read the texts on the wolf theme.

Lupus in Bufala is available for download at this link