THIS is the eerie moment a mysterious creature strolls through a town park – leaving experts baffled as to what the “nightmare” animal is.
Unsettling footage shows an unidentified creature slowly slinking on all-fours in West Virginia, and then menacingly turning its head towards the camera filming it.
The beast appears to have a dark furry coat with a long white stripe along its back and a curved tail and the head of a deer.
Brittany Keller witnessed the terrifying sight whilst driving to work on October 24, in Ritter Park, Huntingdon.
The confused driver spoke of her immense shock and confusion at the unfamiliar sight.
Brittany said: “When I stopped to take a better look, I realized it was nothing I had ever seen here before.”
She asked locals what they thought it was, and they were equally as confused.
One person who was shown Brittany’s video simply said: “Oh my god.”
Later in, that same woman can be heard saying that the creature looks like a “nightmare”, as her young daughter is heard crying in the background.
Another response echoed the unsettling nature of the slinking animal.
They said: “Oh my gosh! But really, what is that?”
One person suggested it was a lion cub, but this would not explain why a lion cub was wandering around a public park.
At first glance, the animal seemingly resembles a lemur, but experts haver dismissed this notion.
Andy McKee, a member of the Zoology Zone Science Centre, said: “Lemurs are from the island of Madagascar so it would be very, very odd to find one in that area unless it was somebody’s pet.
“It looks more like a fox with mange or some type of issue than a lemur.”
Mange is an infectious disease in animals that have hair, and often leads to hair loss and scabbing.
This could explain the animal’s peculiar look.
Huntingdon is West Virginia’s second most populous city.
This suggests that countless people could have seen the odd animal walking about.
It is still unclear what the slow moving creature is, and experts have not been able to give a concrete answer beyond suggestions.
ASDA ANIMAL TERROR
This not the only instance in recent months where animals have terrorised people going about their days.
Shoppers in Asda got a scary sight when two rats the size of cats were seen scurrying about the store.
Horrified onlookers caught the vermin on video as they zoomed around the aisles, so big that they had to be caught under buckets.
The ordeal occurred in an Asda branch near Bolton in the UK.
Help! I have mice or rats in my garden…
WHETHER you can hear them they’re scurrying around your house, or underneath your decking, there’s one reason you have mice…
Fabulous’ Associate Editor, Rebecca Miller, is a gardening enthusiast. She explains why it’s not uncommon to have mice, but you should be concerned if you have rats.
“Our gardens are homes to various animals, from birds to hedgehogs to squirrels. But there’s one animal no one wants to find – mice or rats.
“Mice can be destructive, and rats are just downright scary, and send everyone into a panic.
“But mice are common all across the UK – and one or two in the garden is not cause for alarm.
“Wood mice and field mice will easily get in your home since they are small enough to squeeze in almost anywhere. However, they are more likely to shelter in garages, sheds, and outhouses because they provide easier access to the outside world.
“You’re also more likely to see mice inside during the autumn and winter months.
“As for rats, they are generally considered vermin and can spread potentially serious diseases. They tend to set up home beneath decking, in sheds or greenhouses, and compost heaps.
“Rats are mostly nocturnal so you may not see them when you’re in your garden, but there are some signs to look out for: tunnels or ‘runs’, droppings, gnawed wood, or teeth marks in crops.”
A source said: “Asda has raised the issue. It’s a real problem.
“There have always been rats outside the store, but now they are regularly seen inside.”
Another source said: “There have been massive cuts to staff hours and cleaning workers and this is unfortunately the result.
The clip was shared to social media by videographer Anthony Mitson.
One disgusted viewer wrote: “Nooooooo. See, that’s why I can’t eat from those open bakery things. That’s gross.”
Another Twitter user added: “This video is a perfect example of why supermarkets need to stop selling pastry out in the open like this.
“It’s not just the rats it’s the flies too.”
Read more on the Scottish Sun
An official Asda spokesperson told The Sun: “We have robust hygiene processes in place in all our stores and took immediate steps to resolve this issue.
“We can reassure customers that the store has been inspected regularly since then and no further incidents have been reported.”