Cameras along a stretch of Arizona highway captured a blurry image of a grouping of figures, sparking rumors that ‘mysterious beasts’ were on the loose.
Cameras along a stretch of Arizona highway captured a blurry image of a grouping of figures, sparking rumors that ‘mysterious beasts’ were on the loose.
The speculation madness was started by the state’s Department of Transportation, which posted the picture on its Facebook page on January 1st.
They captioned it, "We might have spotted a family of sasquatches on SR 260 near Heber this afternoon. What do you think?"
A large number of people took the bait and proceeded to share their own theories about Big Foot and other mythical creatures.
Some expressed concern for the beasts’ health and welfare.
The post was liked and shared by thousands of individuals, be they believers or skeptics.
Eventually, the Arizona Department of Transportation came forward and clarified that they were only joking.
A spokesperson for the agency said to ABC News, "We always try to have a little fun with our Facebook and Twitter feeds. That way, we don’t just post news about crashes and road conditions…”
The Phoenix New Times did follow up of the sighting, nonetheless. They reported that the much-discussed sasquatch clan was actually just a group of bushes.