WATCH: ‘Loch Ness Monster’ Appears In China, Is Dubbed 'Chinese Nessie'

Bizarre footage surfaced this week of a what some perceived to be a Loch Ness monster appearing in Chinese waters, leading locals to dub the creature the "Chinese Nessie." It appeared to be creating ripples in a Luoping County lake, which is located in China’s South-western Yunnan Province.

The sighting reportedly prompted speculation that the Loch Ness monster relocated from River Ness in Scotland to China’s south-western waters. The video went viral Tuesday and amassed over 5 million views on social media.

Locals said the creature had a much larger body than they initially thought. However, they reportedly didn’t get a good look at it, as the monster apparently submerged itself rather quickly. Villagers surrounded the lake in hopes of getting another peek at the creature, and bystanders could be heard screaming and yelling in cellphone video of the sighting.

Officials investigated the supposed Loch Ness monster and hoped to dismiss the rumors and calm the nerves of concerned locals, according to The Sun Monday.

Skeptical residents of the town where the incident occurred posited that the creature may be nothing more than a Chinese alligator. What’s worth noting is that the endangered alligator only lived in the waters of the Yangtze River in East China.

A government spokesman claimed the ripples and the apparent "head" of the perceived "Chinese Nessie" could have been garbage floating in the water, according to The Sun.

Chinese Academy of Science experts said the creature is "not like an ordinary fish," according to the Qiujing Daily.

Deputy researcher at the Kunming Institute of Zoology, Rao Dingqi, studied the viral video and concluded it was difficult to identify the creature, according to RT News. He dispelled that it could be livestock and noted it was rather large.

This wasn’t the first Loch Ness sighting in recent months. Spectators allegedly spotted the creature in Scotland in May. Video of the sighting showed what appeared to be the Loch Ness monster wading through the waters of River Ness.

Tourists looked on as the mysterious creature scatted along. Locals apparently believed the creature had died. The Loch Ness monster had reportedly been missing in action, as locals said they hadn’t seen the creature for eight months, according to the Official Loch Ness Monster Sightings Register.

North Wales resident Rob Jones, 35, recorded the sighting from the edge of the river. Jones added he "doesn’t believe in monsters" but couldn’t identify the creature.

"I saw it quite far across the Loch near the castle, but by the time I stopped the van, It was very close and other people stopped to take photos too," he told Daily Star in May.

Up until Jones’ May sighting, Gary Campbell, manager of the Official Loch Ness Monster Sightings Register said he was "worried" by the lack of Loch Ness monster appearances.

"Last year was a record year with eight sightings but then she seems to have disappeared," he told the Daily Star.

Campbell, who sanctioned the Loch Ness Sightings site, added that it isn’t just the creature that captivates people, it’s the number of locales where the creature appeared.

"It's not just Nessie that fascinates people," he wrote. "Did you know that in Scotland alone, there are 23 other lochs (in addition to Loch Ness) where sightings of unknown creatures have been noted?"

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