Send this page to someone via email

A mysterious “wolf-like” creature was shot on a ranch in Montana, leaving wildlife experts puzzled about its species.

On May 16, a rancher shot the animal after it was spotted in a pasture with livestock near the town of Denton, Mont. The rancher reported it to the authorities, as the law requires, officials said.

Wildlife experts said the creature has similar features to a wolf, but some aspects seemed a bit off.

The animal’s front paw appeared too short, the front claws too long, the canine teeth too short, and ears too tall in proportion to the skull to be a purebred wolf, experts said. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks via AP

Montana’s Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) regional spokesman Bruce Auchly said the animal’s front claws and canine teeth are too short and its ears are too tall in proportion to its skull for it to be a purebred wolf.

Story continues below advertisement

WATCH: Husky mistaken for wolf shot by hunter while walking with its owner in western Alberta

0:58 Husky mistaken for wolf shot by hunter while walking with its owner in western Alberta Husky mistaken for wolf shot by hunter while walking with its owner in western Alberta

In a media release, the FWP said the creature was a “young, non-lactating female and a canid, a member of the dog family that includes dogs, foxes, coyotes and wolves.”

Social media users seemed to have their own theories, with some people comparing it to the mythical creature, “dogman.” Other said it may be a “dire wolf,” an extinct species of wolf known for being depicted on the show Game of Thrones.

This undated photo provided by the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks on Friday, May 25, 2018, shows a wolf-like animal that was shot on May 16, 2018, after it was spotted in a private pasture with livestock near Denton, Mont. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks via AP

Scientists are now running DNA tests to determine exactly what it is, but that could take weeks or even months.

Story continues below advertisement

READ MORE: Why the coyote is spreading fast across North America

“Something was not right about the animal, it does not look like a wild wolf,” an FWP spokesperson said on Twitter video. “So with that question…what is it then? The department has collected some samples for genetic testing and we will be sending those samples off.”

He said the strongest suspicion about what the animal is, is that it’s a “wolf-dog hybrid.”

Update on wolf-like animal shot bear Denton, Montana. pic.twitter.com/otvrPrIWD2 — Montana FWP (@MontanaFWP) May 25, 2018

Wolf hunting is permitted in the state and residents are allowed to kill wolves that threaten their property, the wildlife agency noted in their news release.

— With files from the Associated Press