FACT CHECK: Did A San Diego PETA Activist Claim To Impregnate Herself With Gorilla Semen To Save The Endangered Species?

An image shared on Facebook purportedly shows an article reporting that a former biologist at the San Diego Zoo claimed to successfully impregnate herself with gorilla semen with the goal of “saving the endangered species.” 

Verdict: False

The original article stems from a satirical website. A spokesperson from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) denied the claim.

Fact Check: 

The Facebook post, garnering over 400 reactions, shows a screengrab of an article reporting on a former biologist at the San Diego Zoo who claims to have successfully impregnated herself with gorilla semen. She reportedly said she did so “with the hope of saving the endangered species.”

“Molly Heather, 23, a former biologist at the San Diego Zoo,, claims she took hundreds of specimens of semen of the animal while at work and tried to impregnate herself unsuccessfully for many years,” the subheadline of the article reads.

The article is not a genuine news report. Neither the San Diego Zoo or PETA have issued any press releases or posted anything on social media regarding the alleged report. There are likewise no news reports to corroborate claims of an activist becoming pregnant from gorilla semen.

“This is fake news,” a PETA spokesperson told Check Your Fact in an email. (RELATED: Did PETA Call For The Censorship Of This Instagram Account In A Tweet?)

A keyword search found the original article first appeared on World News Daily Report, a satirical website. A Disclaimer on its site says “WNDR assumes however all responsibility for the satirical nature of its articles and for the fictional nature of their content” and states that characters appearing in the articles “are entirely fictional.”

This is not the first time an article from the satirical website has been circulated on social media as real. Check Your Fact recently debunked a claim stemming from the website that purported a babysitter tried to eat a 3-month-old baby while high on meth.

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