Mystery creature washes up on Greek island Crete after storm

A hairless animal that looks like several different species still hasn’t been identified since washing up on an island after bad weather.

A mysterious creature that washed up on a beach after a storm has baffled residents on Greek island Crete.

The hairless, four-legged animal – which resembles a small hippo – was spotted near a river in the tourist resort of Gournes, on the island’s north coast.

It washed up after days of bad weather lashed the coast near the island’s capital, Heraklion.

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The spooky creature that was washed away by the river in Gournes, after bad weather. Picture: Newsflash/australscope

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Images shared online show the bizarre creature sprawled on the sand surrounded by storm debris.

Social media users said it looked like various animals such as a dog, a pig or a seal – but is clearly none of those.

It sparked a frenzy of discussion on Greece’s largest island, with some saying they are afraid of it and others curious to understand where it came from.

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The spooky creature that was washed away by the river in Gournes, after bad weather. Picture: Newsflash/australscope

One expert offered a potential solution to the mystery, although the species has yet to be identified by genetic tests.

Petros Lymperakis, curator of vertebrates at the Museum of Natural History of Crete, said the creature is possibly a badger.

He said it that seems to have lost its hair after being in the water for some time, which also caused it to swell and take on its eerie appearance.

This story was originally published on The Sun and is republished with permission.