By Tim Binnall
A peculiar piece of footage circulating online seemingly shows a flock of tiny dinosaurs dashing along a beach, though the 'extinct creatures' featured in the viral video are merely an amusing illusion. The odd scene was reportedly shared on social media earlier this week and, by virtue of its bizarre nature, quickly amassed a staggering four million views in less than a day. In the footage, a group of creatures that bear a striking resemblance to diminutive dinosaurs with long necks and stout bodies can be seen running on a shoreline at an unidentified location.
The individual who shared the video of what inexplicably appeared to be a gaggle of baby brontosauruses, jokingly observed that "this took me a few seconds" before they figured out what exactly they were seeing in the footage. That sense of confusion and wonderment was echoed by other viewers who were initially puzzled by the odd sight until they realized its true nature. To that end, the footage is actually that of a group of coatis, which are small mammals that reside in South and Central America as well as Mexico and the southwestern United States, which has been reversed so that it appears as if the animals are very small dinosaurs with their tails looking eerily similar to the long necks sported by the extinct creatures.