‘Mystery animal’ caught on camera has Texas park officials stumped

unidentified animal was captured on camera as it lumbered through the Rio Grande Valley last week, said Texas Park and Wildlife officials.The photo of the stout, four-legged creature has left park officials “scratching our heads” ever since it was donated by a visitor, whose trail camera picked up the “mystery animal lurking” in the Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park.Officials wrote in an April 6 Facebook post that they are investigating what the animal could be.“Is it a new species?

An escapee from a nearby zoo? Or just a park ranger in disguise? Regardless, it’s thrilling to see such an incredible animal in its natural habitat,” the post reads.

Read more: Lucky streak: Mom wins $2M lottery a day after daughter ends cancer treatment Within days, the post racked up over a thousand comments as curious community members weighed in with their guesses about the animal’s identity.“Pig bear,” one commenter put forward.“A good ol’ Texas size rat,” another joked.Other commenters wagered the animal could be a beaver, wolverine, capybara and even an otter.One theory about the animal’s identity gained traction in the comments of the post before long, and even drew the attention of the state park officials.

Read more: Deepest fish ever recorded caught on camera over 8,000 metres down trench “Wow, this photo has got a lot of attention,” reads an update to the park’s initial post. “We agree with most of the comments that this is very likely an American Badger.”“While American Badgers are not commonly seen in the valley (partly due to their nocturnal behavior), this is part of their natural range,” officials added.American badgers can be found across the continental U.S.