Voyageurs Wolf Project, a conservation org in Minnesota, recently shared some shots of the creature ... and asked if it could be the “elusive wyote dog'” — a fake wolf-coyote-dog hybrid.

All joking aside, the group noted the animal looked “coyote-esque” to them ... but has some dog-like aspects -- specifically the ears.

The project also pointed out the beast's wolf-like characteristics ... specifically its “robust snout” which was said to be larger than local coyotes.

Baffled by the discovery ... VWP says it for sure did not look like a coyote observed in the area ... but there was no way in hell it was a purebred wolf.