JOPPA, Md. -- There may be more than one mystery animal running around Maryland -- there are pictures from a sighting in Harford County.

At the Mathis family's rural home in Joppa, they're used to animals, but not this kind.

"I looked out the window and I saw something drinking out of the water trough," said Lisa Mathis. "It looked like something out of Lord of The Rings."

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Mystery Animal Possibly In Harford Co. What Is The Creature?

"I couldn't figure out what it was," Mathis said. "I though it was a dog and then I looked closer and then I got the camera and pulled it in closer just so I could show the rest of the family."

Mathis's sighting occurred about a year ago. They didn't think much of it until last week when home video of a very similar looking beast appeared on 11 News.

"I saw it and immediately thought of this picture that my wife had taken," said Jon Mathis. "(It) looked exactly like the same animal."

On their Harford County land the Mathises have seen all kinds of foxes and other animals running around, but never one like this.

"I'm from New Jersey so I immediately thought it was the Jersey Devil," said Jon Mathis. "In New Jersey folklore, it's a wild beast -- sort of like the abominable snowman."

Pictures Of Unusual Animals In Central Maryland

"My first impression was this was a red fox with sarcoptic mange," said Paul Peditto from the Department of Natural Resources.

With theories running wild, Maryland's Department of Natural Resources says it's very likely a fox, but even they can't be certain.

"We can't discount the possibility that someone had some type of exotic mammal as a pet and released it for whatever reason," said Peditto.

"I'm from New Jersey so I immediately thought it was the Jersey Devil." - Jon Mathis

But even with maybe more than one so-called hyote running loose, DNR is going to leave the beast or beasts alone for now.

"We would respond if we knew we had a public safety situation developing," said Peditto. "If we had an animal that was acting in a way that would put people in danger, we would respond immediately."

The only way to find out what the animal is would be to trap it, but DNR says it would only do that if the animal were seen as a threat

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