Malayan tapir wanders into Malaysian home at night — viral video mistaken for AI fake
Residents in Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan, were stunned when a large Malayan tapir wandered into their neighbourhood late at night — with many online mistaking footage of the encounter for an AI-generated fake.
- A Malayan tapir wandered into a residential area in Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan, on 13 October 2025, stunning residents.
- A viral video of the incident was widely mistaken for an AI-generated fake due to its surreal appearance.
- The event sparked both amusement and concern, with many citing deforestation as a possible reason for the animal’s unusual behaviour.
JELEBU, NEGERI SEMBILAN — Residents of a quiet neighbourhood in Jelebu were stunned when a Malayan tapir wandered into their housing area late at night — an encounter so surreal that many online mistook the viral footage for an AI-generated fake.
Late-night visitor shocks residents
The incident took place on the night of 13 October 2025, when residents spotted the large black-and-white animal calmly walking along a residential street before entering the front yard of a home. Videos shared online show the tapir moving slowly and silently, while surprised locals filmed from a distance.
The woman who uploaded the clip on Xiaohongshu (Rednote) said her relatives first sent it to her — and she initially believed it was AI-generated due to how unreal it appeared.
Docile encounter before it vanished into the night
Police and firefighters were called to the scene but arrived after the tapir had quietly wandered away into nearby vegetation. Witnesses described the animal as non-aggressive, noting that it neither charged at anyone nor made any noise. “It just looked curious — like it was exploring,” one resident said.
Viral reactions and conservation concerns
The video quickly went viral across Malaysian social media platforms, sparking both humour and reflection. Some netizens joked about what “number” the tapir might represent in the local 4D lottery, while others expressed awe at its size and calm demeanour.
Conservation-minded users, however, highlighted a more serious issue — suggesting that deforestation and habitat loss might have forced the endangered tapir to venture into human settlements.
The Malayan tapir (Tapirus indicus) is the largest of the world’s tapir species and is currently listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
