Security cameras help to ensure home safety. They can prevent crimes from happening and quickly provide material evidence in cases of vandalism and burglary. But sometimes, the footage security cameras capture leave homeowners with more questions than answers.

A video posted on Facebook by Vivian Gomez has gone viral, not because someone was hurt, not because property was damaged, but because no one knows "what the heck" was caught wandering around the neighborhood.

The clip shows a short, scrawny figure with wobbly legs and floppy ears joyously galavanting down a driveway.

"So I woke up Sunday morning and saw this on my camera and am trying to figure out...what the heck??" Gomez captions the black and white security footage. "First I saw the shadow walking from my front door then I saw this thing....has anyone else seen this on their cameras?? The other two cameras didn’t pick it up for some reason."

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The video has gotten over 9 million views since it was first posted on Thursday. Naturally, social media has since run rampant with theories about the origins of the mysterious creature.

Some think it's alien.

"They are among us," writes Facebook user Michael Douglas. "E.T. ??" guesses Facebook user John Pineda. "What on earth is that? Dobby?" Tweeted @Static_Security on Twitter, referencing an elf character in the Harry Potter series.

Others joked about the creatures mysterious movements.

"I hate it. why’d it do the chicken dance?" asks Twitter user @amberellaaa. "It looks like someone's drunk uncle doing the chicken dance in an elephant mask," said Twitter user @ACultofFashion.

Regardless of what it is, some people are freaked out by the prospect of unknown creatures wondering around.

"Everyone joking that this Dobby but i'm here deciding not to go outside at night ever again," writes Twitter user @FancyMcgriddles. "This is creepin me out but I can't stop watching and now I have to try to get to sleep" writes Twitter user @Whitney_cat.

"I think I'm never going out again!" writes @Fyrekatz1.

Some people suspect that the video may be doctored, while others say that someone could have created an elf-like puppet. But Gomez insists it's real.

"If anyone tested it or whatever they do, it would confirm it’s not altered," she wrote in a comment.

Follow Dalvin Brown on Twitter: @Dalvin_Brown.