A mysterious trail camera image of what appeared to be a ‘headless’ creature prowling through the darkness has left social media users baffled.

The footage showed a seemingly unidentifiable animal moving through the frame in the dead of night.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation shared the photo of the animal this week on Facebook. 

‘Wildlife is fascinating, cool, and amusing, but sometimes it’s also a bit tricky!’ the organization wrote in the caption. 

‘Tell us what you spot in the initial photo in the comments below. Now, direct your attention to the second photo to realize that what you see may not always be what you believe!’ 

The photo prompted viewers to give their own wild speculations in the comments.

‘I know the chupacabra when I see it,’ wrote one commenter, referring to the mythical creature. 

Others offered their own theories about the strange creature caught on camera.

Internet users were puzzled by a puzzling trail camera snapshot that seemed to show a ‘headless’ being skulking through the shadows as they struggled to recognize the creature.

But the animal is actually nothing more than a common gray fox photographed from an unusual angle that makes it appear headless and pig-like.

‘It’s a gray fox that appears pig-like due to its posture,’ explained the NYS Department of Environmental, resolving the frantic conjectures.

‘At first glance, the photo might have tricked you into thinking that the animal pictured was a pig of some kind.’

‘However, with a closer look, you’re actually looking at the back end of a gray fox! 

‘The tail is the portion that kind of looks like a pig head-gray foxes have a black stripe down their tail, and it’s that marking that appears to be a pig’s face.

‘The face of the gray fox is bent down away from the camera.’

The organization then pointed out the animal’s head and tail in the photo to prove their theory.  

Some were quick to confirm the identification

The animal is actually nothing more than a common gray fox photographed from an unusual angle that makes it appear headless and pig-like

‘That tail is a dead nuts giveaway. Def gray fox,’ wrote one user.

‘Yep, it looks like a north bound pig but it’s actually a south bound fox,’ another chimed in. 

Meanwhile, others were tricked into thinking the fox was a pig.

‘Fooled me!! Thanks for showing this!’ admitted another commenter.

‘The fox’s tail is what looks like piglets face I believe,’ another wrote.  

Some internet users offered their own explanations for the optical illusion that had caused such confusion.

‘The fox’s tail is what looks like piglets face I believe,’ suggested one person.

One user shared a similar incident.

A photo of a Wild boar

A photo of a gray fox 

‘I have pictures of a mountain lion that looks like a house cat due to the angle it’s standing.’

Trail cameras have captured incredibly rare and breathtaking moments of wildlife that would otherwise remain hidden from the public. 

Just last week, a trail camera captured the incredible moment between a huge mountain lion and her three cubs just steps away from a residential California neighborhood.

The close-up and intimate moment was captured by a camera set up by Vishal Subramanyan and Cynthia Cross, who have been patiently staking out the Diablo Range for three years in their quest to document the elusive mountain lions of Northern California.

They finally hit the jackpot when their motion-sensor camera captured not just one massive apex predator but her family including three cute cubs in the East Foothills of San Jose.

‘All our dreams came true,’ Subramanyan told KRON4, speaking about the February recording.

The photo prompted viewers to give their own wild speculations in the comments

Some internet users offered their own explanations for the optical illusion that had caused such confusion

A trail camera has captured the incredible moment between a mountain lion and her three cubs just steps away from a residential California neighborhood

The remarkable footage, which lasts 20 minutes, showed the mother mountain lion nursing her young cubs in the wooded area just outside the suburban neighborhood.

One especially sweet moment was captured showing the predator picking up a cub while the others playfully pranced around.

The UC Berkeley graduate, who holds degrees in ecology and statistics, called it ‘one of the most special moments we’ve ever captured.’

‘Mountain lions are obviously an incredible species,’ Subramanyan said. ‘As an apex predator in the Bay Area, they play a really important role in top-down ecological effects.’