The Basque mythological character “Akerbeltz” is the unwitting protagonist of fake news

Thanks to the Indonesian AFP Fact Check website, we’ve come across a bit of fake news of images of an animal that looks like a black goat, but with four horns and four eyes, which is claimed to be a new species discovered in South Sudan.

But AFP Fact Check know the truth.  Really, this creature was created by an artist in Madrid, Álvaro Herranz, who (as he states): combines his activity as a sculptor with creating and dealing with magical creatures and mythological pets, while dreaming of one day leading a calm, relaxing life on his own unicorn farm.

His work can be found on his website, his social media, and his Etsy shop, where, alongside many other creations, we can find the strange animal in question.  Its name?  Akerbeltz.  The photos of this creation were “stolen” in order to become the stars of our story, but, as the creator himself explains in a video, is his personal idea of what this creature from Basque mythology would look like.

We’ll leave you with the Fact Check article that explains everything about this fake news item in great detail, and the Auñamendi Encyclopedia entry on the mythological beast.

We also have to thank Álvaro Herranz for both his creativity and for the quality of his art, which good enough to be passed off as a newly discovered species from the heart of Africa.

Fact Check – 18/12/2020 – Indonesia

Four Eyes animal discovered in Africa? False

Two pictures have been shared multiple times on Facebook and Instagram alongside a claim that it shows a four-eyed animal newly discovered in South Sudan. The claim is false; the pictures actually show a figurine of a Basque mythical creature made by a Spanish artist.

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Enciclopedia Auñamendi –   – Euskadi

Akerbeltz

Además de sus rasgos generales, comunes con los de Mari, tiene facultades curativas e influencia benéfica sobre los animales encomendados a su protección y custodia. Todo chivo negro es considerado como un símbolo mortal. Por eso en muchas casas, deseando impedir que su ganado sea atacado por alguna enfermedad, crían en el establo un macho cabrío, el cual debe ser negro.

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Last Updated on Dec 18, 2020 by About Basque Country