Blurry footage of what looks quite a bit like a woolly mammoth crossing a body of water in Siberia has caused a stir amongst viewers across the web, many of whom either insist it's hoax or think it's another non-extinct animal.

The extraordinary clip, which was allegedly taped last summer by government-employed engineer Michael Cohen, surfaced on the website of UK tabloid The Sun on Thursday and caused a major commotion. The video has lead some viewers to believe the creature that has been thought to be extinct for over 4000 years still exists in the icy Chukotka Autonomous Okrug region of Siberia.

Cohen shot the footage while he was in the area surveying the remote land for a planned road, The Sun reported.  The hair matches samples recovered from mammoth remains that have been discovered in Russia, the paper added.

Viewers, however, are quite skeptical of the footage. While many feel that it's a digitally altered video, others think it's simply an elephant, or perhaps a bear with a fish in its mouth that is slowly working its way across the icy waters.

It has also been noted that Cohen is something of a paranormal enthusiast, and has been tied to clips of alleged UFOs and strange phenomena.

Rumors of woolly mammoth sightings by cryptozoologists have persisted over the last century, with occasional claims that herds still roam earth's northern tundra. However this is the first time that supposed footage has turned up - have a look for yourself here.